Rebirth For You Episode 39 Recap
> Rebirth For You Recap
Li Qian, also known as Lord Xin, sought out Cao Xuan, Duke Cheng'en, expressing his concern for Jiang Baoning. He noted that Baoning was currently upset with him and unwilling to meet, especially after the Grand Empress Dowager’s death had deeply affected her, even causing her to faint.
To ensure her safety, Li Qian requested that Cao Xuan arrange for Li family guards to be part of the Imperial Guards on duty at the Ancestral Hall the following day, when the Grand Empress Dowager’s spirit tablet would be enshrined. He specifically asked Cao Xuan not to inform Baoning, fearing it would further distress her. Cao Xuan agreed to the request. Meanwhile, Zhao Xiao, Marquis Jinghai, stood before the young Emperor, Zhao Xi.
Zhao Xiao falsely accused Li Qian of enraging the Grand Empress Dowager, leading to her death. He claimed that Princess Jia’nan, Jiang Baoning, had uncovered the truth but was too unwell with grief to personally petition His Majesty. Therefore, she had sent him to beg the Emperor to issue an edict for Li Qian’s arrest. Zhao Xiao stressed the need for secrecy, citing Li Qian’s power and prestige, to prevent him from fleeing.
Believing Zhao Xiao’s words, the Emperor issued the edict. Zhao Xiao, clutching the imperial decree, immediately proceeded to Li Qian’s mansion to arrest him. Li Qian questioned the charges and asked if the edict was truly requested by Baoning. Despite Zhao Xiao's insistence that it was, Li Qian firmly believed Baoning would not do such a thing. Enraged by Li Qian's unwavering trust in Jiang Baoning, Zhao Xiao had him severely tortured.
Zhao Xiao further taunted Li Qian, claiming Baoning had specifically requested his exile to the harshest, coldest regions for the rest of his life, but Li Qian dismissed his words as lies. Later, Qingke attempted to persuade Jiang Baoning to reconsider her stance and give Li Qian another chance, but Baoning remained silent, her thoughts consumed by the upcoming ceremony. At Cining Palace, Han Empress Dowager (Han Tongxin) complimented Gao Miaorong on her exquisite incense-making skills.
Just then, a guard reported Li Qian’s arrest by Zhao Xiao and his severe injuries from torture. Han Empress Dowager saw this as a golden opportunity. Gao Miaorong, distraught by the news, rushed to the prison to see a gravely wounded Li Qian, bringing him medicine. Li Qian refused the medicine, his only desire to see Jiang Baoning.
Gao Miaorong urged him to prove his innocence himself if he wished to see Baoning and promised to assist him by talking to her. Fearful that Jiang Baoning might have a change of heart, Zhao Xiao, despite Zhao Zhong's suggestion to kill Li Qian, ordered Li Qian’s immediate exile that very night, stipulating that he receive no medical treatment on the journey. Zhao Xiao reasoned that he couldn't risk Baoning’s eternal hatred if Li Qian died by his hand.
The following day, during the ceremony to enshrine the Grand Empress Dowager’s spirit tablet in the Ancestral Hall, Han Empress Dowager proposed displaying one of the Grand Empress Dowager’s calligraphies. She subtly extracted a forged testamentary edict from a scroll, which declared a divorce between Princess Jia’nan and Lord Xin. Jiang Baoning immediately challenged the authenticity of the edict, stating she would only comply if it were genuine.
She asked Stewardess Meng, who had served the Grand Empress Dowager, to identify the incense on the document. Stewardess Meng confirmed that while the scent was similar to the Grand Empress Dowager's usual soothing incense, it contained an additional, unfamiliar fragrance. Jiang Baoning then summoned the Chief Physicians of the Imperial Hospital. One Chief Physician identified the added scent as ambergris, a rare and valuable substance, and confirmed that Cining Palace had applied for it a week prior.
Han Empress Dowager vehemently denied this, but under the Emperor's command to speak truthfully, the Chief Physician revealed that Gao Miaorong from Cining Palace had collected the ambergris, using the Empress Dowager’s name, acting unruly and fierce, and threatening him when he hesitated. Jiang Baoning, having anticipated this, announced that her people had already searched Cining Palace and discovered the Grand Empress Dowager’s personal seal. Faced with irrefutable evidence, Han Empress Dowager realized she had been betrayed by Gao Miaorong.
The Emperor ordered Han Empress Dowager returned to Cining Palace to await her fate. Meanwhile, Gao Miaorong, having already fled the capital with Li Lin, was enjoying her freedom. Li Lin eagerly asked her to marry him, and she happily agreed, saying she did not care for a grand wedding as long as she could spend the rest of her life with him.
Before her escape, Gao Miaorong had left a note for Jiang Baoning, clarifying that the Grand Empress Dowager’s death was caused by the long-term use of a health-nurturing drug and had no connection to Li Qian. She wished Baoning happiness and urged her not to live with regret. Upon reading the note, Jiang Baoning immediately understood the truth and rushed to the Emperor.
The Emperor, already regretting his hasty decision to arrest Li Qian, was infuriated upon learning that Zhao Xiao had deceived him and used Baoning's name to achieve his personal agenda. Discovering that Li Qian had already been exiled, the Emperor immediately ordered his recall.
Jiang Baoning advised the Emperor against publicly punishing Zhao Xiao, explaining that such a move would undermine the stability of Mu’an, as Zhao Xiao and Li Qian were leaders of two strategically vital regions (Nanmin and Jinxi), and would damage the nation's reputation, especially with Yongqing State watching. She offered to handle Zhao Xiao personally.
For Han Empress Dowager, Jiang Baoning proposed lifelong imprisonment on Longevity Hill, a royal residence where she could "repent" for her misdeeds, offering a compromise that satisfied both public justice and imperial compassion. The Emperor accepted both proposals. Jiang Baoning then confronted Zhao Xiao, chastising him for deceiving the Emperor and warning him that there would be no leniency if he ever repeated such an act. Zhao Xiao attempted to justify his actions, but Jiang Baoning turned and walked away.
As Han Empress Dowager (Xiner) prepared for her confinement on Longevity Hill, she discovered her favorite Lyuqi Zither among the late Emperor Yige's old belongings. The zither, which she believed had been broken beyond repair years ago, was now perfectly mended. A eunuch explained that the late emperor had painstakingly sought out master craftsmen to restore it, but it was only completed after his death. Han Empress Dowager was deeply touched, realizing that the late emperor had indeed cherished her.
She reflected on her lifelong rivalry with Jiang Baoning, admitting her defeat, and decided to spend her remaining years by the late emperor’s memory. At the Li family charity house, Qin Yu (Zhang Yuqing), Qing An's mother, was washing clothes by the river when Xie Jianfeng attacked her, stabbing her fatally. Qing An and Li Dongzhi arrived to find Zhang Yuqing already dead. Overcome with grief and rage, Qing An killed Xie Jianfeng.
They buried Zhang Yuqing and erected a tombstone. Qing An informed Li Dongzhi of his decision to return to Yongqing State to rally his former supporters (Dark Division) and overthrow the tyrannical King Qing Tai. Li Dongzhi, steadfast in her devotion, insisted on accompanying him. Before their departure, she sent a pigeon post to Jiang Baoning.
Meanwhile, in Yongqing State, King Qing Tai was torturing Siqin, the most powerful weapon master, demanding that he create powerful weapons and threatening the safety of Siqin’s friends to coerce him. A scout reported to King Qing Tai that The Book of Supreme Weapons was most likely in Jiang Baoning’s possession, prompting King Qing Tai to plan a trip to the capital of Mu’an State.
Back in Mu’an, the Emperor summoned Cao Xuan, Duke Cheng'en, and tasked him with leading troops to ensure Li Qian’s safe return from exile, instructing him to meet up with Marquis Jinghai's troops. Jiang Baoning soon received Li Dongzhi’s pigeon post, which confirmed that The Archduke (Jiang Baoning's father, Duke Zhenguo) was not responsible for the Li Village massacre. Elated by this news, Jiang Baoning sought out the Emperor, requesting his assistance in investigating the true culprits of the massacre.
She recalled that Eunuch Min Zhou had served Empress Dowager Cao (the late Empress Dowager) and might possess critical information about The Book of Supreme Weapons. When questioned, Min Zhou claimed ignorance, but Jiang Baoning noticed his suspicious demeanor. She then instructed her attendants to spread rumors about The Book of Supreme Weapons within earshot of Min Zhou.
His furious reaction, forbidding any further mention of the book and stating the "waters are deep," solidified Jiang Baoning's suspicion that he knew more than he let on. Reviewing Min Zhou’s palace records, Jiang Baoning found it highly unusual that he had been promoted to a steward without any recorded achievements over seven years. Armed with this knowledge, Jiang Baoning summoned Min Zhou.
He continued to be evasive, but Jiang Baoning methodically laid out her findings: the book's origin with a woman in Li Village, its subsequent acquisition by Empress Dowager Cao after the Yongqing people massacred the village, and the implication that it might have been obtained through a transaction with the Yongqing people. She underscored the severe crime of colluding with an enemy state.
Finally, when Jiang Baoning mentioned Zhang Yuqing, the sole survivor of the Li Village massacre, and revealed that she was currently en route to the capital, Min Zhou’s composure broke. Jiang Baoning warned him that her patience was thin, and if she discovered his involvement from Zhang Yuqing, he would face her wrath without mercy.
