The Story of Minglan Episode 33 Recap

And we’re getting to the end of Minglan’s revenge arc in this Story of Minglan episode 33. Minglan has endured for a long time while observing and building up her skills.

It’s finally bore fruit.

Story of Minglan Episode 33 Recap Highlights:

• Molan gets married while Madam Lin gets punished and banished to the countryside
• Minglan confesses to her grandmother that she planned everything
• Madam Lin meets an untimely demise for her sins

This episode reminds of a Chinese expression that is used quite common in wuxia (martial art c-dramas). 君子报仇，十年不晚 (jūn zi bào chóu , shí nián bù wǎn)

It translates to when a noble man wants revenge, 10 years is never too late.

Minglan didn’t even have to wait 10 years, I think she waited about 6-8?

Anyways, let’s see how her revenge finally gets accomplished in this Story of Minglan episode 33!

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Molan’s Wedding

Molan bursts into Madam Lin’s room and tenderly hugs her.

Madam Lin wonders how she was able to get in. Could it be that they succeeded?

Molan nods.

They have finally made it.

But Molan is worried that her mother will suffer hardships while she’s gone.

Madam Lin reassures her daughter that she will handle it.

Then asks when the wedding will be. Apparently it’s this month.

Madam Lin then opens her private belongings and shares them with Molan.

It’s her land deeds and shops.

But she must save some for her son. Molan believes that even without a robust dowry, she can still live well at her future in-laws.

Madam Lin believes it as well.

Then complains that if her brother could scheme as well as her, they would have controlled the Sheng household by now.

Molan makes a promise to her mother. Once she secures her position at the Liang household, she will come fetch her.

Madam Lin nods tearfully.

The days pass quickly and it’s finally the day of Molan’s wedding.

It’s bittersweet during this moment. Molan is getting married but at what cost? Even she doesn’t know.

She enters the main hall and bows to her father and Wang Ruofu. While Madam Lin sits on the side.

Wang Ruofu leaves her some parting words and bestows her a jade bracelet as a parting gift.

She tells her that from this moment forward she’s become a member of a different house.

It’s all up to fate now.

Molan turns to leave and while Madam Lin wants to see her daughter off, she can’t.

It’s the duty of the main wife to send off the daughters.

Molan asks if her father has any words for her. But Sheng Hong tells her that this the path she chose.

Madam Lin’s Punishment

Madam Lin gets dragged to the ancestral hall where Sheng Hong is kneeling.

And several servants hold her down. So Dongrong can perform the punishment.

Madam Lin tells Sheng Hong that he’s heartless while he has his back turned away from her.

Each beating is painful and Madam Lin continues to plead until she faints.

Sheng Hong then tells his servants to stop beating.

And sobs.

After he leaves the ancestral hall, he orders the servants from Madam Lin’s courtyard to be sold off or killed.

But his head servant warns him that doing this will cause people to think something is wrong with his household

So he compromises. The two servants that failed to report Molan’s wrongdoings ahead of time will be caned to death.

The rest will be sent to do manual labor until things settle down.

Hmm so what is Sister Zhou’s fate then?

Meanwhile Minglan is kneeling in front of two paintings.

One is her mother’s and the other was given to her by Molan.

She never forgot about her revenge.

Minglan bows in respect.

And moves onto the next stage of her plan.

She follows the carriage that is sending off Madam Lin to the country side.

Using her grandmother’s orders as an excuse.

And right behind her is another carriage, her aunt’s.

But then Nanny Fang hears about it.

Nanny Fang reports this to Old Madam Sheng who thinks this is odd.

Danju doesn’t know anything about it either.

Minglan walks into the room where Madam Lin lies on a bed, struggling to get up.

Madam Lin curses Minglan but Minglan doesn’t reply.

She brings a gift.

Last Words

Madam Lin brags that she’s still the birth mother of a countess (Molan).

But Minglan tells her that she never intended to marry into the Liang family.

So Madam Lin realizes that she was the one who drove them to take desperate measures.

Moments later, Minglan unravels a painting in front of Madam Lin. It’s the one Molan gave her.

With a mother deer caring for her child.

Madam Lin exclaims that she’s not afraid. Then rants that back then her mother was bought by Wang Ruofu to be used against her.

She just had to have another child so she had to get rid of anyone that was in her way.

After several attempts to convince herself that she’s not afraid, Madam Lin breaks down.

Because she’s concerned about Molan. But Minglan’s heard enough and leaves.

With Madam Lin calling after her.

Minglan returns to her grandmother’s courtyard and greets her from behind the screen.

She feels guilty for involving her grandmother in her schemes.

Old Madam Sheng comments that she cannot see through Minglan anymore.

Minglan confesses that she had a grand plan and is guilty for involving her grandmother.

But she doesn’t reveal the details to her grandmother. Because it’s not time yet.

Minglan then leaves, confusing Old Madam Sheng. Old Madam Sheng then asks Danju for news.

But Danju doesn’t have much to report.

A few days pass and Nanny Liu rushes in to report to Wang Ruofu.

With great news.

Madam Lin has passed away.

Madam Lin’s Fate

Wang Ruofu questions why. Because it’s only been 2-3 days since Madam Lin was banished to the countryside.

Nanny Liu explains that Madam Lin died from an illness caused by the flogging.

Because Dongrong has special skills when it comes to flogging. Madam Lin was beaten so badly and didn’t get treated so she died.

Wang Ruofu realizes the extent of her husband’s hatred towards Madam Lin.

Then chuckles to herself.

She has won.

Meanwhile, Nanny Fang reports to Old Madam Sheng.

Madam Lin has passed away. When Nanny Fang mentions how she caused so many troubles, she comments that it wouldn’t surprise her if she committed murder as well.

Old Madam Sheng then realizes why Minglan refused to explain a few days ago.

Right then, a servant reports that Minglan came to give her greetings.

And Minglan strides in with a box. It contains a testimony from Xiaode and Old Madam Sheng reads it.

Afterwards, Old Madam Sheng dismisses Nanny Fang so it’s just the two of them.

Minglan kneels and asks her grandmother to punish her.

Nanny Fang dismisses the servants to the outside so Old Madam Sheng and Minglan can have their privacy.

Minglan explains that she wanted to take revenge because her father wouldn’t help.

But Old Madam Sheng gets confused. Because Madam Lin and Molan were greedy and destroyed themselves.

So Minglan walks her grandmother through the details.

Old Madam Sheng lectures her that this plan was too risky. One misstep and she could have been ruined for good.

But Minglan thought it was worth it.

Then Old Madam Sheng wonders if Minglan’s docile behavior was all false.

Minglan swears that her feelings for Old Madam Sheng were genuine. But she feels guilty for involving her grandmother in her schemes.

Gu Tingye is Back

Grandmother and granddaughter embrace.

Old Madam Sheng blames herself for failing to help Minglan with her revenge.

T_T Aww this grandmother and granddaughter moment was so endearing

And since no one else knows about this matter, they will keep it just between themselves.

No one else should know.

Days later, someone rushes through the capital while reporting the latest news.

The rebels in the South have been pacified.

Gu Tingye gets off a horse and strolls into a courtyard where soldiers are training.

Various soldiers greet him as he strolls by.

It looks like Gu Tingye has done well for himself.

He notices that there are more soldiers than before.

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Comments

Aaaand that’s the end of Madam Lin. Can Molan survive in the Liang household without her mother’s advice?

Probably not. And Minglan knows this.

She taunts Madam Lin with the painting to show Madam Lin that Molan’s fate may be worse than hers.

Madam Lin’s greatest weakness is her children, specifically Molan.

How ironic it is for Madam Lin to scheme against others not knowing she fell for another’s until it was too late.

This whole time she thought Minglan was too dimwitted to scheme against her. But how the tables have turned.

At the same time, Molan’s wedding is not festive at all. It seems more like a sober event than anything else. It was rushed to silence the gossips and to save the Sheng family’s reputation.

But I don’t think an actual wedding should be like this. And if you compare her wedding to Hualan’s. It’s so different.

I also liked how Minglan shared her sins with her grandmother. And her grandmother didn’t blame her for taking revenge. Such a touching moment.

Now that Gu Tingye is back what does it mean for the imperial court? Since the South is now pacified?

Guess we’ll find out in the coming episodes. What were your thoughts on Story of Minglan episode 33? Leave a comment below!