Episode 18 recap: Ding Bao Zhen left Shandong and went to Beijing to pay respects to the emperor.
Ding Bao Zhen inspected the progress of the construction of the artillery platform. Zhang Yinhuan provided him with detailed information, and Ding Bao Zhen made further improvements based on that. At this time, Li Afu came on behalf of the people to thank Ding Bao Zhen for preventing their hometown from suffering from flooding again. Ding Bao Zhen had a tie with the British in a competition, and Empress Dowager Cixi smiled with satisfaction. She agreed to keep the Shandong Machinery Bureau open and issued an edict summoning Ding Bao Zhen to enter Beijing.
Madam Zhong and Miss Jin suddenly came to visit Ding Bao Zhen. As the weather was getting colder, they brought him several warm clothes. Ding Bao Zhen received a letter from his son, and upon reading its contents, his expression turned grim. He stood up, filled with sadness, and burst into tears. Zhang Yinhuan, seeing this, tried to console him, and at that moment, Chunlan asked what had happened to Ding Bao Zhen. Ding Bao Zhen, filled with grief, revealed that his granddaughter, Dai, had fallen ill and passed away. Upon hearing this, Chunlan fainted, and Ding Bao Zhen wondered why he was being punished by fate when he had not committed any wrongdoing.
Due to this incident, Ding Bao Zhen fell seriously ill. At this time, news arrived from the capital that an imperial decree was issued. With Chunlan's support, Ding Bao Zhen went to receive the edict summoning him to enter Beijing and pay respects to the emperor. Worried about the construction of the artillery platform, Ding Bao Zhen received assurance from Zhang Yinhuan that the platform would be built successfully. He also instructed Li Pei Rong and Chen Yun Fei to assist Zhang Yinhuan.
Qi Songru handed a letter to Ding Bao Zhen, and when he saw Jin Xiaomei packing her belongings, he hurriedly went to help her. Ding Bao Zhen received a reply from the National Academy, revealing that Qi Songru would be able to enter the academy once he passed the examination. Jin Xiaomei felt a tinge of reluctance upon learning that Qi Songru would be going to Beijing.
Ding Bao Zhen's purpose for going to Beijing this time was not for promotion but to learn how to be a good official and advise Qi Songru to never forget his original intentions regardless of his position. Qi Songru informed his deceased father about his plans to enter the National Academy. He admired Jin Xiaomei but had no official position. Now that he finally had a breakthrough, he had to leave. His mother heard his words and approached him, advising him to let go of their romantic attachment. Opportunities were hard to come by, and if he remained a commoner, would he let Jin Xiaomei suffer hardship for their entire lives? At that moment, his mother handed over all her savings to Qi Songru.
The next day, Qi Songru went to the backyard, insisting on cooking for Jin Xiaomei. She finally gathered the courage to ask if he had packed his belongings and subtly expressed that he shouldn't forget about them once he reached the capital. Qi Songru remembered their moments together and his mother's advice, feeling torn between choices. He admitted that their sibling-like bond made it difficult to say goodbye, but he picked up his books and left. At that moment, Jin Xiaomei couldn't help but cry in sorrow.
Ding Bao Zhen looked at the tambourine given to his granddaughter Dai and felt deeply saddened. At this moment, Chen Yun Fei hurried back, explaining that the workers had worked spontaneously day and night, and the artillery platform was now fully completed. Ding Bao Zhen and Qi Songru went to Beijing to bid farewell to Madam Zhong, and Qi Songru kept looking at Jin Xiaomei, but she never dared to look back at him.
Li Afu brought all the people to see Ding Bao Zhen off and gave him a bag of soil from all the regions. It represented the heartfelt attachment of the people, who didn't want Ding Bao Zhen to leave Shandong. Ding Bao Zhen expressed that he had only done his duty, yet he was deeply moved by the warm farewell from the villagers. He bid them farewell while kneeling down, leaving Shandong with the villagers' reluctance. After more than ten years of managing the Yellow River and establishing the Machinery Bureau in Shandong, he never returned to the province.
Ding Bao Zhen arrived in the capital and realized that he no longer had the same dignity as before. If he didn't strive hard, he didn't know when his dignity would be restored. He went to Xianliang Temple, where many officials gathered at the entrance, all seeking favors. When Ding Bao Zhen arrived, Wang Sichong, Li Minggao, and Zhang Yong introduced themselves and falsely claimed that they had specially come to welcome him according to the customary practice. Ding Bao Zhen knew their intentions and instructed Qi Songru to register their visits and later pay them back one by one. The officials eagerly handed over their name cards, and Li Minggao was the first to present Ding Bao Zhen with a jade seal. Ding Bao Zhen praised him but declined the gift. Li Minggao angrily left, followed by the second official who left in anger as well, leaving the people waiting in the courtyard confused.
Later, Lord Liu entered the room to visit Ding Bao Zhen, expressing that he had no gift to offer and wanted to ask why Ding Bao Zhen had insisted on killing Andehai. Ding Bao Zhen explained the reasons, and Lord Liu expressed approval, stating that he had come specifically to hear those words. He happily left afterward.
The other officials, seeing Lord Liu leave happily, mistakenly believed that Ding Bao Zhen didn't accept gifts but only accepted silver notes. They started stuffing silver notes into Qi Songru's hands. At that moment, Ding Bao Zhen excused himself due to feeling unwell and refused their gifts, returning the silver notes as well. Afterwards, Ding Bao Zhen criticized Qi Songru for his perception and urged him to distinguish right from wrong and not be misled by others.
Lord Yan arrived and teased Ding Bao Zhen, saying that he hadn't crossed the threshold yet and that sometimes putting on a show was also acceptable.
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