The Glory: Episode 15 Recap and Spoilers

Episode Summary

Hanyan and Ruan Xiwen attend a matchmaking banquet, facing ridicule and sabotage from rivals. Ruan’s poise and Hanyan’s wit outshine bullies, while Fu Yunxi’s unexpected presence sparks tension. A drugged horse chaos leads to Hanyan/Fu Yunxi’s accidental kiss, exposing Zhuang Yushan’s schemes. Consort Miao’s arrival complicates Ruan’s past grudges.

Spoiler Alert

Well, folks, buckle up — this week’s episode of The Glory is a messy banquet of clapbacks, secret plots, and awkward kisses. Let’s just say the drama at Jianglin Pavilion could put Bridgerton’s debutante balls to shame.

The Setup

Our girl Hanyan (the queen of 4D chess) scores an invite to a high-society matchmaking event for Beijing’s eligible bachelors and ladies. Even better? She drags her mother Ruan Xiwen (a former socialite-turned-recluse) out of hiding to face the vipers who’ve mocked her disability and past scandals. Ruan reluctantly agrees, but not before demanding they ditch their shady servant Tao Mama. Hanyan, ever the strategist, insists they keep the woman as bait to expose enemies in their household. Ruan’s response? “Throw her in the fishpond.” Savage.

The Entrance

Cue the gasp-worthy moment: Fu Yunxi, the icy heartthrob who never attends these events, shows up looking like a walking thirst trap. The crowd loses it. Meanwhile, Hanyan arrives with Ruan, whose cane and reputation as a “husband-snitching cripple” immediately draw sneers. When snooty guests throw shade, Hanyan’s ready to throw hands — but Ruan stops her with a calm “Don’t waste breath on idiots.” (Mom energy: 10/10.)

Then comes the first hurdle: Ruan’s wheelchair can’t climb Jianglin Pavilion’s stairs. Just as the crowd smirks, Fu Yunxi orders servants to lay wooden planks for her. Slow clap. But the haters aren’t done: Li Jiaqi (local mean girl) taunts Hanyan about her past (allegedly hauling corpses?!). Ruan shuts it down by quoting historical paragons of virtue and declaring, “I’m proud of my daughter.” Cue collective jaw-drop.

Riddle Me This

The drama escalates when Zhuang Yushan (Hanyan’s snakey cousin) manipulates Li Jiaqi into challenging Hanyan to a riddle duel. Joke’s on them — Hanyan slays every answer, even correcting the riddles’ missing lines. Li then tries to humiliate Ruan with a riddle mocking her limp. Hanyan refuses to answer, but Ruan smirks and solves it herself: “The answer is ‘a limping gait.’” Mic drop. She even fires back with her own unsolvable riddle, leaving Li red-faced.

Ruan then drops wisdom: “A broken body isn’t shameful — but a rotten heart is.” Hanyan adds, “Filthy minds reek worse than sewage,” exposing Zhuang Yushan’s scheming. Li realizes she’s been played and ditches Zhuang, while Hanyan fake-befriends her. Girlboss diplomacy at its finest.

Tea-Time Treachery

Meanwhile, Madam Tan (a bitter ex-frenemy) lures Ruan into a “reunion” with old social rivals. Their plan? Force Ruan to perform tea ceremonies and… make her pee herself from over-drinking? (Classy.) They trap Ruan’s loyal servant Chen Mama in a room, but Ruan — cool as a cucumber — schools them on tea etiquette.

Outside, fireworks light the sky as guests write acrostic poems for potential matches. Hanyan and Li Jiaqi flex their literary skills, but Fu Yunxi steals the show by pairing his poem with Hanyan’s. Cue heart-eyes from Young Master He, who’s too late to shoot his shot. Drunk and jealous, Zhuang Yushan confesses to Fu Yunxi… and gets rejected. Again.

Chaos Unleashed

Hanyan rushes to rescue Ruan, finding Zhuang Yushan has unleashed a drugged horse (using a tainted handkerchief) to sabotage the event. The horse charges toward Consort Miao (Ruan’s old rival-turned-royal), but Hanyan leaps onto the beast, using riding skills taught by Chai Jing (mystery alert!). Fu Yunxi swoops in, saves her, and they accidentally kiss mid-tumble. Sparks fly.

Back at the pavilion, Consort Miao — supposedly Hanyan’s ally — turns on them, punishing Hanyan for “poor upbringing.” Plot twist: Hanyan invited Consort Miao to pressure Ruan into divorcing her toxic husband. But with the Consort sniffing Ruan’s “weird-smelling” handkerchief (linked to the horse drugging), things look dire.

Final Notes