Rebirth For You Episode 16 Recap
> Rebirth For You Recap
Mu'an's provisions army suffered heavy casualties in an ambush by Yongqing's forces. Unwilling to accept this defeat, Zhao Xiao impulsively led his troops on a night raid against Yongqing. Learning that Zhao Xiao had already departed half an hour ago, Supervisor Li Qian, who was busy tending to his wounded soldiers, immediately recognized the danger.
He dispatched a messenger to request reinforcements from Mr. Jin, then rallied his own men, stating that he could not stand by while their soldiers faced death and that he had to attempt a rescue, no matter how slim the chances. As Li Qian arrived, he found Zhao Xiao’s forces decimated and Zhao Xiao himself surrounded by Yongqing soldiers. Despite Zhao Xiao’s defiant declaration that he would not thank him, Li Qian fought bravely alongside him.
During the intense battle, General Yun Lin was shot and fell down a slope. Li Qian, in a desperate act to save Zhao Xiao, sustained multiple arrow wounds and eventually collapsed. Zhao Xiao, also gravely injured, then fell. Yongqing soldiers quickly moved to clear the battlefield, ensuring no survivors and taking all weapons, just as Mu'an's reinforcements were approaching.
Li Dongzhi rushed back to report the grim news: Mr. Jin’s reinforcements had arrived too late, and the Xuanjia Battalion had been completely wiped out. The news was devastating for the Li family, though Jia’nan had a premonition of bad things to come. Gao Miaorong immediately insisted that Li Qian, being a skilled warrior, must still be alive and pleaded with Uncle Li Changqing to send a thorough search of the battlefield.
Shortly after, General Yun Lin, a survivor of the Xuanjia Battalion, confirmed that while he miraculously escaped, he could not find the bodies of Supervisor Li Qian or Zhao Xiao on the battlefield, nor had they returned to the camp. Gao Miaorong, clinging to hope, pleaded with Uncle Li Changqing to send more men with her and Yun Lin to search every corner of the battlefield, promising to bring Li Qian back safely.
However, Jia’nan, after recovering from the initial shock, calmly asserted that Li Qian would never passively await death on the battlefield. Given that no body was found and he hadn't returned to camp, she speculated he must have gone to the safest, yet most dangerous, place: Yunyang, the capital of Yongqing. Gao Miaorong, distraught and critical of Jia’nan's seemingly cold composure, vehemently disagreed, accusing Jia’nan of not caring for Li Qian's safety and potentially wasting precious time.
Jia’nan, however, stood firm, explaining that as his wife, she understood and trusted him, and that tears wouldn't help. Li Changqing ultimately sided with Gao Miaorong's immediate proposal, instructing her and Yun Lin to take his men to search the battlefield. He tried to comfort Jia'nan by saying that his son was tough and wouldn't die easily. Meanwhile, the news reached the capital. Jinghai Hou was utterly distraught upon hearing that his son, Zhao Xiao, had supposedly died in Jinxi.
Refusing to believe it, he immediately dispatched Zhao Zhong to investigate the matter thoroughly and bring back definitive answers, dead or alive. Emperor Zhao Yi, furious at the military's incompetence, initially railed against his "useless" troops. However, upon learning that both Young Master Zhao Xiao and Commandery Prince Li Qian had "died on duty," he secretly gloated that he would no longer have rivals for Commandery Princess Jia’nan.
He publicly declared his intention to honor their sacrifices with generous posthumous rewards and, under the pretense of offering support, decided to recall Jia’nan to the capital. The Grand Empress Dowager, deeply concerned upon hearing the news, quickly sent her people to Bingzhou to verify the reports and bring Commandery Princess Jia’nan back to the palace immediately. Convinced that Li Qian was alive and in Yunyang, Jia’nan secretly departed the Li residence under the cover of night.
She was discovered by Li Dongzhi, who insisted on accompanying her to ensure her safety. The next morning, Eunuch Zhang arrived with the Grand Empress Dowager’s edict to escort Jia’nan back to the palace. Li Changqing and his wife were in a difficult position, unable to produce Jia’nan. Their maid, Qingke, quickly intervened, cleverly fabricating a story that Jia’nan was deeply ill from worry over Li Qian’s disappearance and wished only to remain at the Li residence awaiting his return.
Eunuch Zhang, taking pity on Jia’nan’s supposed distress and not wanting to further upset the Grand Empress Dowager, accepted the lie and returned to report that the Commandery Prince was not dead and Jia’nan was safe. Qingke, loyal to Jia’nan, affirmed her commitment to keep the truth from the palace and expressed her fervent hope for Jia’nan's safe return.
Jia’nan and Li Dongzhi successfully reached Yunyang and, by faking illness for Jia'nan while she was disguised as a male servant and appealing to the compassion of onlookers, they managed to slip past the city guards who were checking travel passes. Once inside, Li Dongzhi gathered information, learning that most injured soldiers were housed in the military supply area, a heavily guarded zone. Spotting a recruitment notice for the Weapon Battalion, Jia’nan, ever resourceful, devised a plan to infiltrate it.
Inside the Weapon Battalion, Jia’nan, using the alias Aning, observed Commander Siqin scolding a craftsman for producing faulty crossbows that could harm their own soldiers. Despite the craftsman's excuses about being rushed, Siqin was furious, especially when the man suggested sacrificing handymen to cover his mistakes. Seizing the opportunity, Jia’nan offered to fix the problem, on the condition that Siqin take her as an apprentice.
Intrigued by her courage and talent, Siqin agreed, much to the jealousy of other handymen like Rujia, who had served Siqin for years without such recognition. Jia’nan ingeniously modified the crossbows by deepening the flight groove, improving accuracy but reducing range, thus ensuring they would not be truly effective against Mu'an forces while still fulfilling the delivery quota. Impressed, Siqin formally accepted her as his apprentice.
As Jia’nan covertly searched for Li Qian, she remained unaware that Zhao Xiao was also in the Weapon Battalion, working as a handyman. The other handymen, resentful of Aning’s (Jia’nan's) rapid promotion and perceived idleness, conspired to teach him a lesson by putting a non-venomous sand snake in his room. Zhao Xiao, witnessing their scheme, intervened, saving the person from the snake, only to discover it was Jia’nan.
Surprised by her presence, Zhao Xiao questioned why Li Qian always had to be between them, wishing it could just be the two of them. He then admitted that Li Qian was still alive when he last saw him on the battlefield but they had become separated after he regained consciousness. Jia'nan, determined to find her husband, pressed Zhao Xiao for his help, which he promised to provide.
Meanwhile, Li Dongzhi, while purchasing food, coincidentally encountered Qing An, who was in Yunyang on a trade mission. Upon learning that Li Dongzhi was searching for someone, Qing An immediately offered his assistance. Together, they scoured the city, and then ventured outside its walls on horseback, with Qing An playfully helping Li Dongzhi, who was more skilled than he realized.
Despite not finding Li Qian, Li Dongzhi felt a sense of relief and happiness from Qing An's company, expressing her gratitude for his companionship. Jia’nan, having noted a strong medicinal scent on Zhao Xiao earlier, grew suspicious. She discreetly followed him later that night, leading her to a hidden room where she found a severely injured Li Qian, burning with fever.
Their emotional reunion was followed by a flashback revealing how Commander Siqin, while clearing the battlefield, had saved both Li Qian and Zhao Xiao, recognizing that they were too young to die. He had hidden their identities and brought them into the Weapon Battalion as handymen, warning Li Qian that his survival now depended on fate.
Back in the present, Li Qian, weakened, asked Jia'nan to promise to stay home and wait for him in the future, while she, in turn, asked him not to get so severely injured again. Overcome with anger at Li Qian's condition, Jia'nan confronted Zhao Xiao, accusing him of intentionally hiding Li Qian and neglecting his treatment, even implying he wished for Li Qian's death.
Zhao Xiao, hurt, retorted that if he wanted Li Qian dead, he wouldn't have carried him from the piles of corpses. Jia'nan then blamed Zhao Xiao's past tactical misjudgment for Li Qian's current state. Feeling completely dejected and believing he could do nothing right in Jia’nan’s eyes, Zhao Xiao left, heartbroken. Li Qian, ever understanding, comforted Jia’nan, explaining that their meager existence as handymen provided barely enough to survive, let alone afford expensive medicines.
He urged her not to blame Zhao Xiao, reassuring her that her presence alone was already healing him. Later, as Jia’nan attempted to feed Li Qian, she instructed Zhao Xiao to take a break from his handyman duties and focus on caring for his former rival. However, an accidental jostle from Zhao Xiao caused Li Qian pain, leading Jia’nan to send him out of the room, further fueling his resentment.
Determined to earn Jia’nan’s forgiveness and help Li Qian, Zhao Xiao ventured out at night to steal potent herbs from a local shop. He was caught and fled, only to run into Zhao Zhong, who had been sent by Jinghai Hou to find him. Relieved to see Zhao Xiao alive, Zhao Zhong confirmed that the city's defenses were now tightly sealed, making exit difficult.
Zhao Xiao, revealing that Commandery Princess Jia’nan was also in Yunyang and needed to leave, implored Zhao Zhong to secure travel passes for them. Returning with a bundle of high-quality herbs, Zhao Xiao sought Jia’nan’s forgiveness for his past deceptions. Jia’nan acknowledged his efforts, admitting that her harsh words earlier were born of frustration and concern for Li Qian. She then decided to find a physician to determine how to best use the stolen medicines, entrusting Zhao Xiao to stay and care for Li Qian in her absence.
