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A Relationship of Mutual Exploitation
Watching The Glory, I couldn’t help but see parallels to the power struggles and corruption we face in the modern world—especially the oligarchs who pull strings behind the scenes. The drama’s villain feels like a direct jab at them, wrapped in clever satire. Adapted from the web novel The Reborn Noble Girl Is Hard to Find, the series takes a completely different approach visually and narratively. Yet both versions stand strong on their own—comparing them wouldn’t be fair.
Storyline
Zhuang Hanyan’s life begins with betrayal. Abandoned at birth and raised by abusive foster parents in a poor village, she’s treated like an outcast—bullied by children, starved, and chained like an animal. At 17, when her foster father tries to assault her, she kills him and his wife in self-defense, then flees to her real family in the city.
But home is no sanctuary. Her birth mother coldly rejects her, her father’s concubine schemes against her, and her half-siblings make her life hell. Worse, she’s being investigated by Fu Yunxi, a sharp-witted Dali Temple official who also happens to be her late half-sister’s widower.
What follows is a dangerous game of lies and manipulation. Though they’re not enemies, they’re not allies either—she tries to kill him to protect her secrets, while he blackmails her for information. Yet, beneath the deception, there’s mutual respect. Both have loved ones to protect and truths to uncover.
Characters & Acting
Zhuang Hanyan (Chen Duling) is a survivor—intelligent, ruthless, and deeply wounded. She’s compassionate but never naive, willing to kill if pushed. Raised in betrayal, she trusts no one, not even Fu Yunxi, despite her growing feelings for him. Chen Duling embodies the role perfectly—stoic, calculating, and striking in Ming Dynasty nobility attire. (A far cry from her performance in Fang of Fortune, which didn’t leave much of an impression.)
Fu Yunxi (Xin Yunlai) is just as morally gray—cold, cunning, and willing to bend the law. Though he’s a deputy prosecutor, he lets Hanyan go free despite knowing she’s a murderer. His relentless pursuit of corruption makes him a target, and after his wife is poisoned, he becomes a single father fighting a shadow war against the remnants of a eunuch’s criminal empire. Xin Yunlai’s performance is decent, though at times he seems oddly detached from intense scenes.
Ruan Xiwen (Wen Zhengrong), Hanyan’s mother, steals every scene she’s in. Her cruelty is terrifying—she screams, threatens, and drives her daughter away at every turn. But it’s all an act to protect her. Wen Zhengrong delivers a powerhouse performance, making us feel the agony beneath her harsh facade.
OST
The soundtrack shines brightest in the rare tender moments between Hanyan and her mother—soft, melancholic melodies underscoring their fractured love.
Final Thoughts
Romance isn’t the focus here. This is a story about vengeance, survival, and the ugly choices people make when pushed to the edge. Both leads are deeply flawed—Hanyan is a murderer, and Fu Yunxi is an official who plays dirty. And that’s what makes them so compelling.
Most dramas force their characters into redemption arcs or moral clarity. Not this one. Hanyan doesn’t repent for her crimes, she doesn't need to, and Fu Yunxi doesn’t suddenly become a saint. They’re ruthless, pragmatic, and unapologetic—a refreshing change from the usual righteous heroes.
This isn’t a story about love conquering all. It’s about rage, power, and the lengths people go to protect what’s theirs. And for those of us tired of cookie-cutter plots, that’s exactly why it’s worth watching.
Novel vs. Drama
Don’t expect the novel and drama to align—they’re entirely separate. The book is a reincarnation story: Hanyan, murdered on her wedding night, wakes up in her 12-year-old body and relives her life with new knowledge.
Some Key differences (not complete)
- Hanyan was never exiled; she grew up loved by her mother and younger brother.
- Fu Yunxi is a prince and general, rumored to be gay (and 21 when Hanyan is 12—a very different dynamic).
- The novel’s tone is more scheming nobility than gritty survival.
Both versions have their strengths, but the drama’s raw, unflinching darkness makes it unforgettable.
Storyline
Zhuang Hanyan’s life begins with betrayal. Abandoned at birth and raised by abusive foster parents in a poor village, she’s treated like an outcast—bullied by children, starved, and chained like an animal. At 17, when her foster father tries to assault her, she kills him and his wife in self-defense, then flees to her real family in the city.
But home is no sanctuary. Her birth mother coldly rejects her, her father’s concubine schemes against her, and her half-siblings make her life hell. Worse, she’s being investigated by Fu Yunxi, a sharp-witted Dali Temple official who also happens to be her late half-sister’s widower.
What follows is a dangerous game of lies and manipulation. Though they’re not enemies, they’re not allies either—she tries to kill him to protect her secrets, while he blackmails her for information. Yet, beneath the deception, there’s mutual respect. Both have loved ones to protect and truths to uncover.
Characters & Acting
Zhuang Hanyan (Chen Duling) is a survivor—intelligent, ruthless, and deeply wounded. She’s compassionate but never naive, willing to kill if pushed. Raised in betrayal, she trusts no one, not even Fu Yunxi, despite her growing feelings for him. Chen Duling embodies the role perfectly—stoic, calculating, and striking in Ming Dynasty nobility attire. (A far cry from her performance in Fang of Fortune, which didn’t leave much of an impression.)
Fu Yunxi (Xin Yunlai) is just as morally gray—cold, cunning, and willing to bend the law. Though he’s a deputy prosecutor, he lets Hanyan go free despite knowing she’s a murderer. His relentless pursuit of corruption makes him a target, and after his wife is poisoned, he becomes a single father fighting a shadow war against the remnants of a eunuch’s criminal empire. Xin Yunlai’s performance is decent, though at times he seems oddly detached from intense scenes.
Ruan Xiwen (Wen Zhengrong), Hanyan’s mother, steals every scene she’s in. Her cruelty is terrifying—she screams, threatens, and drives her daughter away at every turn. But it’s all an act to protect her. Wen Zhengrong delivers a powerhouse performance, making us feel the agony beneath her harsh facade.
OST
The soundtrack shines brightest in the rare tender moments between Hanyan and her mother—soft, melancholic melodies underscoring their fractured love.
Final Thoughts
Romance isn’t the focus here. This is a story about vengeance, survival, and the ugly choices people make when pushed to the edge. Both leads are deeply flawed—Hanyan is a murderer, and Fu Yunxi is an official who plays dirty. And that’s what makes them so compelling.
Most dramas force their characters into redemption arcs or moral clarity. Not this one. Hanyan doesn’t repent for her crimes, she doesn't need to, and Fu Yunxi doesn’t suddenly become a saint. They’re ruthless, pragmatic, and unapologetic—a refreshing change from the usual righteous heroes.
This isn’t a story about love conquering all. It’s about rage, power, and the lengths people go to protect what’s theirs. And for those of us tired of cookie-cutter plots, that’s exactly why it’s worth watching.
Novel vs. Drama
Don’t expect the novel and drama to align—they’re entirely separate. The book is a reincarnation story: Hanyan, murdered on her wedding night, wakes up in her 12-year-old body and relives her life with new knowledge.
Some Key differences (not complete)
- Hanyan was never exiled; she grew up loved by her mother and younger brother.
- Fu Yunxi is a prince and general, rumored to be gay (and 21 when Hanyan is 12—a very different dynamic).
- The novel’s tone is more scheming nobility than gritty survival.
Both versions have their strengths, but the drama’s raw, unflinching darkness makes it unforgettable.
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