The Story of Minglan Episode 7 Recap

We’re back for the Story of Minglan Episode 7! Lucky number 7!

Ugh, no wonder Minglan doesn’t have much hopes for her sisters. She just wishes that they don’t harm her.

But alas guess what? She got pulled into a mess because of them.

In between the feud of legitimate vs concubine daughters.

Story of Minglan Episode 7 Recap Highlights:

• Gu Tingye’s father finds out about Tingye’s mistress
• Wang Ruofu tries a new tactic to get her husband to end the punishment early
• Grandma Sheng shows her wisdom and skills

Without further adieu, let’s jump into Story of Minglan Episode 7!

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Gu Tingye’s Mistress

At the Gu household, Shitou orders various servants to tidy up some things and Marquis Gu strolls over.

He asks what they are doing and Shitou tells him that Gu Tingye is preparing a room for Nanny Chang to stay.

Nanny Chang was Gu Tingye’s wet nurse while growing up. She worried about him when he was younger in the first 3 episodes of the show.

So a while later, Gu Tingye explains to his father that he plans on bringing her back to serve as a head maidservant.

She deserves a promotion for all she’s done for him.

But Marquis Gu disagrees, stating it’s bad for the elderly to travel such a long distance.

And then he gets to the real reason. He believes Nanny Chang will support Gu Tingye’s current behavior of frequenting brothels.

While drinking wine.

Despite Gu Tingye’s insistence in the last episode that he’s a changed man.

After much bickering back and forth, Gu Tingye brings up his deceased mother and his father loses his temper.

He gets up and orders his servants to seal every room to prevent Gu Tingye from inviting Nanny Chang in.

Then Gu Tingyu shows up, warning his father not to do this because it’s extremely bad luck.

Mentioning that father and son shouldn’t have bad blood just because of a mistress kept on the side.

And he just added more fuel to the fire. How convenient.

Marquis Gu confronts his son about it and Gu Tingye admits it.

Gu Tingye gets a beating as punishment.

Both Gu Tingyu and the father watch as Gu Tingye gets beaten.

Kneeling in the Ancestral Hall

After the punishment and the father leaves, Gu Tingye comments how his older brother’s skills have gotten better now.

He knows his older brother conveniently spilled the news about his mistress on purpose.

Meanwhile, back at the Sheng household, Minglan and Rulan are kneeling in the ancestral hall.

Rulan complains how Minglan has become a softy now and a pushover. Because she recalls how Minglan was so courageous back then.

Helping Hualan win back her dowry from the bet between Gu Tingye and Changfeng (Minglan’s third brother).

However Minglan reasons with her and explains that their father favors Molan anyways.

No matter what they say.

It’s so sad how Minglan has accepted that her father doesn’t love her as much as Molan. She use to adore her father as a child. T_T

After the first night of kneeling, Wang Ruofu checks up on her daughter.

Ignoring Minglan off to the side.

She then quickly leaves to find ways to convince her husband to end the punishment early.

While commenting out loud how Old Madam Sheng was cold hearted. Not even bothering to check up on Minglan.

After all, blood is thicker than water and Old Madam Sheng is not even blood related to the rest of the Sheng family.

Wang Ruofu then sees Molan heading off to class who takes a jab at her.

So Wang Ruofu slaps her but Molan takes this as a win as she heads off to class.

Then when Wang Ruo’s servant rushes to tell her that her husband is back from court, he’s inherently avoiding her.

Because he’s at Madam Lin’s.

Madam Lin’s Benevolence

Madam Lin serves food to Sheng Hong while telling him he was too harsh on Minglan and Rulan’s punishment.

Subtly hinting that Minglan is favored by Old Madam Sheng and he may get lectured by her later.

But Sheng Hong points out that his mother is reasonable and wouldn’t do that.

And this is part of the reason why Old Madam Sheng has to be careful. She has no blood relation with her son. He respects her because she helped him.

Then Madam Lin tries to downplay the matter but Sheng Hong gets even angrier at Rulan.

Just in time because Wang Ruofu requests his presence.

Madam Lin plays the gentle wife and agrees to the request while Sheng Hong refuses.

And sternly lectures Madam Lin for overstepping his authority.

When she meekly sits back down next to him, Sheng Hong can’t help but sigh and lecture her for being too gentle and benevolent.

Sheng Hong, are you blind!? She’s the very opposite!

Going on further to say that she has taught Molan well so it’s time for Wang Ruofu to teach Rulan better.

Meanwhile, Wang Ruofu waits with disappointment and anger. She laments how she married into his household and wonders what her mother saw in Sheng Hong.

Old Madam Sheng is Coldhearted

Later in the day, a servant reports to Old Madam Sheng updates about Minglan’s situation.

How she’s getting food and water properly but Old Madam Sheng stresses the importance of additional knee pads.

To help pad the impact of kneeling for so long.

See? Wang Ruofu, you’re wrong about her. She actually cares a lot about Minglan but can’t do it openly.

In the late afternoon, Sheng Hong finally presents himself to Wang Ruofu and expects an earful.

But she surprises him by serving him a lavish meal personally.

Praising him for his diligence at work and how hard he works for the family.

But Sheng Hong refuses to ease the punishment on Rulan because he believes Wang Ruofu has spoiled her.

So Wang Ruofu brings up her eldest daughter, Hualan. (She was married off at the beginning of the show.)

And complains how mistreated her daughter is just because the mother in law dislikes Hualan.

Then tearfully cries and tugs Sheng Hong’s robes.

Sheng Hong placates his wife about Hualan’s family situation. But then gets frustrated when Wang Ruofu brings up Rulan again.

Wang Ruofu “cries” again but this time Sheng Hong stomps off in frustration.

She sighs in frustration. Commenting how difficult it is to act like a white lotus.

Because it apparently takes a LOT of natural talent.

Hahaha if Wang Ruofu thinks it’s tiring how does Madam Lin keep it up all these years?

So plan B.

Wang Ruofu Requests Help

Wang Ruofu gives her greetings to Old Madam Lin and pleads her to help convince Sheng Hong to ease the punishment.

For the good of the “two” girls. Because Minglan can’t stand the cold.

Old Madam Lin just nods her head, well aware that Wang Ruofu is using Minglan to sway her.

It doesn’t work though and Wang Ruofu continues to mention how Minglan is fragile and weak.

But then ends up talking about Hualan’s troubles.

So Old Madam Sheng reveals that Marchioness Wu wasn’t here previously for as coincidence.

Because Marchioness Wu wanted to inquire about Madam He whose maiden family is tied to physicians specializing in women’s health.

Old Madam Sheng plans on having Hualan come back to visit her using her own health as an excuse.

But then Wang Ruofu is still worried about Rulan. So Old Madam Sheng mentions how she is friends with Nanny Kong.

A woman who is known to educate palace etiquette. If she is invited to teach the girls additional lessons, it can be considered as punishment.

So the kneeling can be waived.

Wang Ruofu would rather have her daughter go through more lessons than kneel in the cold ancestral hall so she agrees.

With eagerness, singing praises of Old Madam Lin.

But Rulan doesn’t share the same sentiment. She wonders why she has to take more classes as her knees are treated.

Her mother just tells her to accept the lessons and apologize to her father.

Rulan was lucky that Grandma Sheng had another trick up her sleeve to help bail her and Minglan out. Well mostly Minglan, Rulan is just an extra.

Gu Tingye Requests a break from School

Gu Tingye notifies his teacher that he needs a break to help a relative settle in (the nanny mentioned earlier in the episode).

The teacher allows it but lectures Gu Tingye.

Because the imperial exams are coming. And just because he has talent, he cannot ease up on studying either.

Changbai sends him off and promises to copy some notes for him.

Back at the school, Yuan Ruo wonders why the girls were absent today and Changfeng answers that the girls are all at home.

To take lessons from Nanny Kong. A distinguished woman who knows palace etiquette.

And personally, Changfeng believes it’s better that the girls take lessons from home.

But it’s not his call, it’s his father that calls the shots.

While Gu Tingye heads out of the city on horseback, he’s accompanied by Shitou.

Who notices that they are being followed.

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Comments

What were your favorite moments in story of minglan episode 7? I love how tactfully Old Madam Sheng (Grandma Sheng) eases up the punishment through a different method.

Because she knows her son best.

Sheng Hong is a scholar that sticks to the rules. So Wang Ruofu begging him to release the girls wasn’t going to happen.

I’m also surprised Wang Ruofu doesn’t know her husband that well despite being married to him for so long. While Madam Lin knows exactly how to tug his strings.

Sheng Hong falls under the typical trope of an established scholar whose ideal wife is a gentle and benevolent woman. Sigh.

Gu Tingye doesn’t have it easy either. But he takes a different approach. Because he is a male and males have an advantage in this era.

Despite being the second child, he’s the legitimate son of the previous wife. So he has status and he’s smart enough to know that his household has enemies to put him down.

I can’t wait until our two leads combine forces and become a power couple! Any thoughts on this episode? Comment below!