The Story of Minglan Episode 6 Recap

We’re back for the Story of Minglan Episode 6 recap!

OMG, the children are a little older now but I guess some people don’t fall far from the tree. (*cough Molan)

Story of Minglan Episode 6 Recap Highlights:

• Gu Tingye has his own fair share of troubles
• Madam Wu from another Ducal household pays a visit
• Molan displays her white lotus skills and gets her sisters in trouble

What I liked about this episode is that we also get to see Gu Tingye’s household. Yes, he’s from a noble family but he has his struggles too.

Let’s go over what happened in this Story of Minglan Episode 6 recap!

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“Second Uncle”

Gu Tingye enters the classroom and greets Molan and Rulan as they arrive to class as well.

Molan subtly asks if it’s okay to address Gu Tingye as “second uncle” just like Yuan Ruo. But she does so indirectly by inquiring why Yuan Ruo does so.

Sneaky sneaky.

When Gu Tingye tells her that it’s fine, she greets him as such. And Rulan follows as well.

As class in in session after the scholar arrives, Rulan twirls her new brush in her hands. And Yuan Ruo notices it immediately.

When Rulan explains that it was a gift from Minglan, Yuan Ruo comments that it suits her very well.

Despite his gloomy appearance.

Then of course, Molan chimes in asking Yuan Ruo if he had more fancy brushes to give out because she tells him she also got one.

From Minglan.

And Yuan Ruo can’t help but look back at Minglan who keeps her head down.

Gu Tingye’s Past

Back at the Sheng household, when Madam Lin comments how her daughter easily addressed Gu Tingye as “second uncle”, Molan explains her reasoning.

She wants to be recognized as someone on Yuan Ruo’s level. Because if she followed the way her brothers addressed him, it’s as if Yuan Ruo would be her “nephew”.

At least by a weird generation gap.

And she’s so delusional that she’s sure Yuan Ruo is set to marry her. *eye-roll*

Then Molan expresses her dislike for Gu Tingye immediately by mentioning how he used to frequent brothels a lot.

So she would never consider him for marriage.

During this conversation, it’s so interesting how Madam Lin continues to probe her daughter about Yuan Ruo’s intentions towards her. But Molan’s responses are always favorable. It’s like both mother and daughter don’t want to break the illusion that they could marry into a ducal household.

And Molan shares that Gu Tingye has been looking for a legitimate daughter as a wife.

No concubine born daughters.

But no household in the city would do that, considering Gu Tingye’s playful past.

So Madam Lin brings the topic back to Yuan Ruo, would he care about legitimate versus concubine daughters?

Apparently Yuan Ruo doesn’t care (Molan had her maidservant gather info from Yuan Ruo’s servant).

But the audience knows it’s because Yuan Ruo carries a torch for Minglan. Not Molan. Let the mother and daughter keep dreaming!

An Explanation and A Gift

In the middle of a busy city, Yuan Ruo’s carriage stops by a local shop.

When Xiaotao (Minglan’s servant) sees that Bu Wei (Yuan Ruo’s servant) leaves the carriage to run an errand, she stops by and passes along a gift.

With an explanation of how Minglan thought she was unworthy of those brushes.

But to thank him for his gift, she prepared snacks for him.

After passing the message, Xiaotao leaves and returns to Minglan’s carriage.

Yuan Ruo accepts the gift with a sigh and his servant returns.

He laments out loud how disappointed he feels and wonders if Minglan thinks his feelings are a burden.

So he wants to drink and drown his sorrows.

But Bu Wei refuses at first and it seems like he relents.

Gu Tingye’s Household

Gu Tingye rushes home to pick up some pastries that his mother personally made for him and bumps into Nanny Xiang.

It’s weird that she’s not at his mother’s side because that’s her main job.

So he questions her and finds out that someone is here to collect debt.

From one of the brothels he used to frequent.

Gu Tingye takes off to meet this person.

And the rest of the family is there as well.

When Gu Tingye walks in where everyone else is hosting their visitor, he glances at both his father and brother.

Tensions mount between father and son yet the other brother meekly looks away.

Is he the one causing trouble?

Despite Gu Tingye’s insistence that the debt is not his, his father doesn’t believe him and verbally lashes out at him.

Labeling him as a bad influence on others and a poison to this household.

Madam Gu acts as the peacemaker, saying it’s not a lot of money so she will go get it.

And Tingwei leaves with her leaving Gu Tingye and his father alone to argue.

These two are so stubborn and refuse to give an inch.

Gu Tingye fails to convince his father that the debt is not his so he accepts his punishment: a beating.

An Unexpected Guest

Days pass by quickly and the Sheng household gets an unexpected guest.

That sends the Sheng household in a frenzy.

Wang Ruofu is excited to see Marchioness Wu stop by for a visit.

And arranges for Rulan to get freshened up in case Marchioness Wu wants to meet the daughters of the Sheng household.

So of course Madam Lin wants Molan to get prettied up as well. She can’t lose to Rulan.

But Madam Lin has to spend time convincing Molan to do so because Molan is reluctant to keep her options open.

Wang Ruofu makes small talk with Marchioness Wu while Rulan and Molan wait on the sidelines.

Apparently it’s common courtesy to call all of the daughters to greet the guest if the guest asks about them.

But as the day wears on, there’s no summons.

So Molan throws a tantrum and starts knocking down things. (Deja vu – Madam Lin did this in earlier episodes too.)

Madam Lin lectures her daughter for showing this behavior while her maidservant suggests Molan sneak a glance at their guests.

In the meantime, Rulan encounters Minglan in the courtyard and orders her to embroider and cook food.

But Minglan pushes back, saying she can’t do several things at once.

So Rulan has her focus on food first because she’s been waiting all day and is famished.

Then the two of them see Molan rushing out so quickly that she slips and falls to the ground.

Rulan thinks it’s suspicious so drags Minglan to follow her.

And all three of them end up hiding behind the screens of the main greeting room.

Where the guest is making small talk with the Sheng household.

Curiosity killed the Cat

Molan probes Minglan’s thoughts and intentions by asking her if she thinks the 6th son of Wu family is any good.

But Minglan takes a neutral stance.

So she switches targets to Rulan who easily falls to her provocation and then pushes Minglan and Rulan to fall out from behind the screens.

And this ruckus alerts Sheng Hong and several other members of the family.

Including the guests attention as well.

But this is a big no-no for daughters of a noble family. They must present themselves as refined, gentle ladies.

When Marchioness Wu and her son head back home in their carriage, she’s amused by the behavior of Rulan.

While her son thinks Molan got accidentally pulled into the situation.

But at least Marchioness Wu doesn’t mind concubine daughters (which is pretty forward thinking in this era).

Yuan Ruo at the same time is happy to see Minglan again despite feeling rejected previously.

At the Sheng household, Minglan and Rulan are being punished for breaking decorum.

While Molan stands off to the side unpunished.

Rulan can’t stand that at all so questions her father why she is not punished when she was the one who instigated this.

Molan acts quickly and explains that she should be punished because she’s the eldest and didn’t stop them.

Her mother taught her daughter soooo well. Molan: 1, Rulan: 0

So of course, Sheng Hong praises Molan in front of Rulan.

Minglan gets pulled in by Rulan but Sheng Hong doesn’t believe Molan is at fault.

As if slapping hands with the ruler wasn’t enough, Minglan and Rulan have to kneel in the ancestral hall for 3 days.

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Comments

Poor Minglan T_T She always gets pulled into trouble by Rulan despite wanting to stay hidden. And out of sight.

Between the two sisters, who do you think is worse? I personally think Rulan has a good heart even though she’s spoiled and arrogant.

While Molan is a white lotus who can stab you in the back anytime.

We got the chance to see inside Gu Tingye’s household and it’s not all fine and dandy either. He has his own share of troubles.

His father always blames him and his mother spoils him. I wonder if Tingwei is on his side?

There’s definitely tension between father and son. I guess we will find out why.

Molan acts like spoiled legitimate daughter despite being concubine born. Does she think she has that many options for marriage? She wants to marry someone who will treat her as the main wife.

But how likely is that going to be happen? Especially since she’s not a legitimate daughter?

And Yuan Ruo, sigh. He’s adorable and smitten for Minglan but he doesn’t consider her point of view. Does he know that their statuses are too far apart?

He grumbles and complains that she won’t give him attention but he doesn’t think about why she’s doing that.

And that’s all I have for Story of Minglan Episode 6! What did you think of this episode?

Leave a comment below! Please no spoilers!