Rebirth For You Episode 22 Recap
> Rebirth For You Recap
Empress Han Tongxin sought an audience with Emperor Zhao Yi, eager to discuss preparations for her upcoming birthday in three months. Zhao Yi, knowing her intentions, readily promised a grand celebration, instructing the Ministry of Rites to handle all her requests for a magnificent ceremony.
However, Zhao Yi's true purpose for this elaborate birthday was twofold: to uphold the Empress's image before the court and to seize the opportunity to negotiate the import of warhorses with foreign envoys arriving for the festivities. He privately wished Han Tongxin would simply avoid causing him trouble. Meanwhile, Grand Empress Dowager rejoiced upon learning of Su Su’s pregnancy and prepared a special gift for the unborn child.
Though both Baoning and Su Su had married and left the palace, the Grand Empress Dowager was happy for their new lives. As Su Su was returning to her residence, she decided to stop at a fabric shop to select material for baby clothes to complement the exquisite longevity locket and bracelets she received. On the way, the carriage driver swerved to avoid a child, causing the carriage to jolt violently. Su Su fell and suffered a miscarriage.
Distraught, Su Su blamed herself for losing the baby. Cao Xuan, who had been lovingly building a swing for her and their child, reassured her that she was the most important person in his life and that they would have other children. A distant relative, Liu Guirong, arrived at the Li Mansion, recounting his tragic life as an orphan and lamenting that the Li family had not helped him despite his father's sacrifice.
Li Qian, recognizing Liu Guirong's clear intentions, arranged for him to stay, providing him with lavish food and drink, and even commissioning new clothes for him. Baoning questioned Li Qian about the guest, learning that Liu Guirong's father had been Li Changqing's trusted subordinate and had died saving Li Changqing during the Yongqing battle. This deep debt of gratitude meant the Li family felt obligated to treat Liu Guirong kindly, regardless of his unreasonable demands.
Baoning worried that Liu Guirong's appetite for their generosity would only grow, leading to endless trouble. Li Changqing initially considered giving him money to leave, but feared he would return. Following Winter Solstice's suggestion, Li Qian decided to find Liu Guirong a job as a trial. He Cuihua was also troubled by Liu Guirong's presence.
Gao Miaorong, observing the situation, speculated that Liu Guirong might be looking for a wife and suggested that He Cuihua find a maid from the mansion or other residences to marry him off. Li Changqing offered Liu Guirong a night watchman's position. Liu Guirong was initially disdainful, but Li Qian emphasized the importance of the role, highlighting its duties in fire prevention, theft prevention, and timekeeping.
Li Changqing further promised to relocate him to a better position later, which reluctantly convinced Liu Guirong to accept the job. As expected, Liu Guirong proved to be lazy and negligent in his duties. He developed an inappropriate infatuation with Qingke, Baoning's personal maid, and constantly harassed her. Qingke, unable to endure his persistent advances, sought Baoning's help. Baoning and Li Qian agreed that they needed to find a way to make Liu Guirong move out of the Li Mansion.
Soon after, Liu Guirong's dereliction of duty led to a robbery in the city. Losing his job, Liu Guirong brazenly demanded money from the Li family and insisted on marrying Qingke, claiming He Cuihua had promised him a wife. Everyone at the Li Mansion vehemently rejected his outrageous demands, with Baoning angrily taking Qingke away. Suspicious of Liu Guirong's late-night absences, Baoning, accompanied by Winter Solstice, tracked him. They discovered he owned a house and had a wife.
After discussing their findings, Baoning and Li Qian devised a plan for Li Qian to trick Liu Guirong into signing a letter of divorce. The following day, Winter Solstice brought Liu Guirong's wife, Mudan, to the mansion, presenting the divorce letter. Enraged by her husband's attempt to abandon her and marry another, Mudan violently confronted and dragged Liu Guirong away.
Afterward, Li Qian gave Liu Guirong a sum of money, advising him to return home, farm his land with his wife, and cease bothering the Li family. Li Qian warned him that any further attempts to cause trouble would not be tolerated. In the autumn of the third year of Zhending Reign, continuous heavy rainfall caused the Hebian River to breach its banks and the Yellow River to flood, devastating three provinces, four prefectures, and twenty-eight counties.
Countless people perished, and millions were left homeless and destitute. Upon learning of the disaster, Emperor Zhao Yi ordered his officials to immediately organize disaster relief and assist the displaced civilians. Amidst the crisis, the Xuanjia Battalion and Huben Battalion clashed due to severe food shortages.
Li Qian confronted Zhao Xiao, the Quartermaster, demanding an explanation for the Xuanjia Battalion soldiers enduring hunger and cold, with their meals cut by more than half and no warm clothing for the approaching winter. Zhao Xiao blamed the widespread flood and the influx of disaster victims for the scarcity of supplies.
He promised Li Qian that he was finding a solution and would compensate the soldiers once the issue was resolved, asking for a few days to manage the situation. Baoning, meanwhile, learned about the dire situation from Dong Shanhu, including the widespread suffering of the disaster victims, the scarcity of resources, and the growing unrest among both civilians and soldiers in Jinxi. She was deeply concerned.
When Li Qian briefly returned home to check on her, he cautioned her to stay indoors due to the increasing number of displaced people in the city. Baoning offered him 5,000 taels of silver to address the soldiers' immediate needs. Li Qian, however, refused the money, citing the need to avoid unnecessary complications and uphold principles.
He explained that using her dowry could invite scrutiny from the Grand Empress Dowager and the Emperor, potentially leading to dire consequences for the Li family. He asked Baoning to have faith in his ability to solve the problem himself. Before leaving, Li Qian took a handmade sachet from Baoning, telling her he preferred it to the money, and shared a tender moment with her.
Subsequently, Baoning, under the Li family's name, began distributing food to the city's disaster victims, earning their profound gratitude for Li Changqing's benevolence. Dong Shanhu then suggested that Baoning establish a charity house. She proposed encouraging wealthy merchants and gentry in Jinxi to donate money for the sake of their reputation. These funds would be used for disaster relief and to provide the victims with shelter and basic labor opportunities, enabling them to earn a living.
Dong Shanhu offered an initial donation of 10,000 taels of silver for the project. In the palace, the Ministry of Rites presented Empress Han Tongxin with opulent silks, exquisite jewelry, and an elaborate menu for her upcoming birthday. Han Tongxin intended to use these preparations as an excuse to seek out Zhao Yi and discuss every detail, hoping to spend time with him. However, Zhao Yi, anticipating her move, had already left his study.
Despite his efforts to avoid her by retreating to a secluded, chilly garden, Han Tongxin eventually found him, demanding his opinion on various makeup designs. Frustrated by her persistence and clinginess, Zhao Yi was relieved when a court official arrived with an urgent report regarding the disaster relief, providing him with a convenient escape back to his hall. Despite her husband's clear annoyance, Han Tongxin decided to wear the unevenly placed forehead flower from their discussion and proudly parade around the garden, believing it would make others envious.
