The Story of Minglan Episode 53 Recap

Gu Tingye will have to persist to show Minglan that he has eyes for just her. In Story of Minglan episode 53, Minglan holds a banquet and meets with Yuan Ruo’s wife.

For a chat.

Story of Minglan Episode 53 Recap Highlights:

• Gu Tingye gets frustrated that Minglan still hasn’t opened up
• At the banquet, Madam Kang spreads rumors of Minglan
• Yuan Ruo and Minglan discuss the past

Since Yuan Ruo wouldn’t wake up with Gu Tingye’s words maybe Minglan should slap some sense into him.

What happens in Story of Minglan episode 53? Let’s find out in the recap!

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Not Being Jealous

Gu Tingye sneaks back to Minglan’s bed late at night.

In the morning, Minglan realizes her husband’s back.

Gu Tingye wants her to know that if she’s jealous, she can tell him.

But Minglan tells him that she’s not.

Instead, she realizes that he has his own troubles and care enough for her already.

Gu Tingye tells her that not being jealous is bad.

And gets out of bed.

During breakfast, Minglan informs her husband that the work on the garden is almost done.

So they can hold a banquet.

He reminds her to be careful of his stepmother and Minglan nods.

Gu Tingye shares with Minglan that despite his fights with his father, his father was real to him.

In all of his actions.

While his stepmother wears a mask.

But Gu Tingye always hoped that his father would love him because that should naturally happen.

And Minglan says she understands.

Gu Tingye believes she don’t. So Minglan tells him that she respects him and loves him.

He then gets frustrated and leaves.

While Minglan comments to Xiaotao that her husband has been moody lately. Wondering if he’s been busy with court matters.

Xiaotao shares her snacks from Shitou with Minglan.

And Minglan comments that they are good enough to be served at the banquet.

Banquet at Chen Yuan

General Shen shows up with his second wife and Gu Tingye greets them.

But before they all enter, another carriage shows up.

It’s General Shen’s concubine.

Zou Ping greets her husband, Gu Tingye and Zhang Guifen.

Zhang Guifen comments that since Zou Ping is here, she will take her leave.

And Zou Ping reassures her that she will take take of their husband.

Great. Another concubine who stirs trouble.

Zhang Guifen takes off ahead of General Shen.

This show is not great about introducing new characters. You need to figure out who they are by the subtle hints. T_T Concubines have no place at official events.

Minglan walks with Hualan through the premises. Showing her around.

While Hualan tells her that Rulan couldn’t come nor Changbai. As each had their own difficulties.

Rulan’s pregnancy hasn’t stabilized and Changbai has matters to attend to.

Then they see Molan is here too. And Hualan wonders if Minglan invited her.

Minglan explains how she purposely timed the invitation wrong so Molan wouldn’t get it.

But Madam Gu ended up giving her one. So Molan got the chance to attend.

Hualan comments how Madam Gu is quite famous with various noble families.

But thankfully she’s just a stepmother. Otherwise, Hualan believes Minglan’s life would be worse than hers.

Meeting Yuan Ruo’s Wife

Hualan then points out Madam Kang with Madam Gu.

It turns out Madam Kang has been visiting Wang Ruofu very frequently.

Minglan doesn’t think much of it but Hualan reminds her of how their aunt used to criticize her.

So Minglan asks her what else can she do?

Later, Hualan excuses herself and bows to Shen Hezhen on her way out. As Hualan takes her mother away from Madam Kang and Madam Gu, she warns her about getting too close to them.

Meanwhile, Shen Hezhen greets Minglan and congratulates her for merging the Gu households.

Minglan excuses herself for being ignorant and Shen Hezhen’s maid introduces her.

So Minglan invites her in for a chat.

Shen Hezhen comments how her husband has been unhappy lately and asks for advice.

And basically testing Minglan at the same time. Why else would she ask another lady about her husband’s unhappiness?

Minglan comments that it’s likely due to matters of the court.

Then uses her aunt status to show dominance.

But Shen Hezhen then takes a different approach and warns Minglan and her husband to be careful. Because they are rising in the ranks too quickly.

Their arrogance will be their doom.

These verbal jabs make Minglan realize Molan must have spread bad rumors about her.

So Minglan comments how everyone believes she was fortunate to marry into a marquis’ household.

But no one knows the troubles she’s had to deal with.

Warding off concubines and taking care of a child from a former mistress.

Then sorting out greedy managers in farmsteads and dealing with a two-faced step mother on a daily basis.

Shen Hezhen realizes that Minglan’s had a lot to deal with.

Then wonders if it’s odd that Minglan is sharing these intimate thoughts with her.

Sorting Out Yuan Ruo

But Minglan believes it’s better that they are frank with each other.

Later Minglan asks Xiaotao to find Yuan Ruo so she could have a chat with him.

Because she’s realized that he has made matters difficult for his wife. So if she doesn’t clarify things with him, it will get worse.

Meanwhile, Madam Gu gossips about Minglan behind her back. Making other noble families look down on her.

Including Zhang Guifen.

Madam Kang just makes it worse too by mentioning how Minglan acts like a legitimate daughter when she’s just a concubine’s daughter.

Ugh these two madams are just evil! No wonder they get along so well, peas in a pod.

Zhang Guifen swears to spit on Minglan if she dares to provoke her.

Meanwhile, Minglan meets up with Yuan Ruo in a remote area. He’s eager to see her again but Minglan treats him neutrally.

She mentions how he should address her as an aunt considering how he called her husband uncle before.

Yuan Ruo believes she is so cruel.

Meanwhile, Gu Tingye looks for Minglan. Wondering if she’s getting bullied by all the other noble ladies.

Minglan tells Yuan Ruo how everyone believes she’s made it. Achieving rank status, and fortune.

But she will give it all up to have her birth mother again.

However, that’s impossible. Her birth mother is forever gone.

Just like them.

They’ve each married another person. So they cannot go back.

While Shitou continues to look for Minglan, Molan mentions how she’s in the west courtyard resting.

So Shitou reports this to his lord.

And Molan is also trying to sow discord between Minglan and Gu Tingye.

Letting Go of the Past

Yuan Ruo berates himself and wonders why Minglan doesn’t hate him.

So Minglan tells him that everyone must move forward. If you hold onto grudges, it’s difficult to live the rest of your lives.

Meanwhile Gu Tingye finds Xiaotao guarding some area and secretly observes Yuan Ruo and Minglan.

Minglan tells Yuan Ruo that his current wife treasures him while her current husband treats her very well.

Yuan Ruo asks if Gu Tingye thinks about her every time and then grabs her tightly.

But Minglan shakes him off and attempts to leave. She turns around to ask him if he ever considered how things looked from her point of view.

Yuan Ruo argues that he thought everything he did was good for her. But not if she doesn’t think so.

So she tells him that things have ended now. But he hasn’t let go.

Minglan leaves and rushes back to the banquet.

Gu Tingye left as well but I wonder if he is going to misunderstand.

At the banquet, some noble ladies complain that some concubines don’t know their place.

Because they are attending this event.

Yuzhou vs Bianjing

Zou Ping plays arrow toss with some ladies and starts gossiping about Zhang Guifen.

How Zhang Guifen doesn’t sleep with her husband that often. Nanny Fan, Zhang Guifen’s nanny, steps in to lecture Zou Ping.

Zhang Guifen stops Nanny Fan and steps in herself, asking Zou Ping to repeat what she said.

Zou Ping greets her and replies that she was just wondering if Zhang Guifen knew about Yuzhou’s accent and wine.

Because the rest of them grew up with it.

Zou Ping brags about how she knows how to make her husband’s favorite pastry, etc.

They start to fight and Madam Gu observes from a distance.

With Madam Kang.

Madam Gu comments that with a banquet this large, there are bound to be people with grudges and gratitude.

And you can’t offend any of them.

As the banquet will get ugly.

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Comments

Things never seem to end for Minglan. In Story of Minglan episode 53, she still has clear the air and deal with some people.

While Minglan took a HUGE risk to meet up with Yuan Ruo and ends things with him, it probably was the best chance to do it.

She knew from meeting with Shen Hezhen that Yuan Ruo has been treating his wife unfairly. So Shen Hezhen had a beef with her.

I’m guessing Yuan Ruo had no idea his wife was jealous.

Because if he doesn’t talk to her, she can misunderstand and imagine various scenarios.

Madam Kang and Madam Wu are so irritating, they both hate Minglan and from their words alone, they’ve made Minglan have a bad image.

Even Zhang Guifen now hates her.

Thinking she’s an arrogant concubine born daughter who doesn’t know her place because she married up.

And of course things look like they will get messy because General Shen decided to let his concubine attend the event with his wife.

Jeez. Some men just don’t have brains.

What were your thoughts on Story of Minglan episode 53? Leave a comment below!