Episode 25 recap: Qi Songru uses his position as a cashier to sell official positions.
Qi Songru and Jin Xiaomei are getting married. At this time, Lao Song specifically comes to find Li Pei Rong. Considering Ding Baozhen's favor, he reveals the fraudulent activities that were instructed by Qi Songru himself, along with a bag of silver coins given to him. Li Pei Rong grabs his collar and asks if he is lying. Lao Song is also worried that Ding Baozhen has fallen into Qi Songru's trap, so he reveals the truth and presents the bag of money as evidence to Li Pei Rong.
Qi Songru deliberately invites Li Pei Rong for a drink. Li Pei Rong's gaze towards him changes, and he remarks that the wine is no worse than the wine from Shandong. He jokingly mentions that Qi Songru has been to the capital and seen the world, and his demeanor has become much more imposing. Li Pei Rong talks about the past when he used a jade pendant to help the people, while Qi Songru hypocritically claims that he was solely dedicated to Ding Baozhen. Li Pei Rong slaps Qi Songru and presents the embezzled money. Qi Songru is forced to explain that he had no choice and acted on the Empress Dowager's orders. Since he couldn't help his teacher, he took the opportunity to protect Ding Baozhen. However, Li Pei Rong doesn't believe his hypocritical words. He blames Qi Songru for Ding Baozhen's current situation, as he had driven him away and severed all ties.
Qi Songru pleads with Li Pei Rong not to reveal this matter for the sake of Jin Xiaomei's dignity, hoping to spare her from being caught in the middle. After careful consideration, Li Pei Rong agrees to his request but warns him that if he ever wrongs Ding Baozhen again, he will be held accountable. Urgent reports arrive from the river management office stating that numerous places, including Dujiangyan and Feisha Weir, have experienced breaches. Ding Baozhen is puzzled because he recently repaired the embankments after his arrival in Sichuan. He wonders why they were washed away again after just a few days of rain.
Li Pei Rong organizes the disaster relief supplies, and Ding Baozhen personally leads the distribution to Dujiangyan. En Cheng, who is plotting against Ding Baozhen within the government, plans to take advantage of the breached embankments to punish him and demands an immediate audience with the Empress Dowager. The servants hurriedly report to Qi Songru that refugees have already flooded into Chengdu, but he orders the city gates to be closed, prohibiting any refugees from entering.
At this time, a large group enters through the south gate, but the officials arrest several leaders and bring them to court with knives in hand. Qi Songru considers these individuals to be bandits and parades them through the streets, including elderly women and children. When Jin Xiaomei learns that the refugees are being paraded by Qi Songru, she confronts him, feeling outraged. She inadvertently notices a ledger behind him that records a significant amount of money. Jin Xiaomei grabs Qi Songru and insists on seeing Ding Baozhen, but Qi Songru shouts at her, telling her not to use Ding Baozhen to pressure him. Later, he realizes that his words were too harsh, apologizes to Jin Xiaomei, and promises to release the refugees.
Qi Songru replaces some of the employees at the Machinery Bureau. Zeng Zhaoji discovers that all the firearms in this batch are substandard. He angrily confronts the responsible officials and finds them playing mahjong and mocking him. That night, Zeng Zhaoji finds Qi Songru and demands that he transfer the people he arranged, as they not only didn't help but also caused trouble. If the firearms are substandard, there is a risk of chamber explosion, but Qi Songru is only concerned about fulfilling his personal desires at the expense of the soldiers' lives.
At this time, Jin Xiaomei assures Zeng Zhaoji that she will make sure Qi Songru corrects his behavior and advises against reporting to her adoptive father for now. Jin Xiaomei knows that Qi Songru is selling official positions for others, but Qi Songru claims that it is allowed by the court as a form of donation. Jin Xiaomei earnestly advises him, but Qi Songru feels that she doesn't understand him and suggests that she can go ahead and report him. Ding Baozhen falls seriously ill, and Jin Xiaomei and Qi Songru rush to visit him. At this moment, everyone is by Ding Baozhen's side, as the repairs of the Dujiangyan irrigation system are completed, but Ding Baozhen's health has deteriorated.
As everyone leaves, Li Pei Rong stays behind to take care of Ding Baozhen. Lady Zhong, who hasn't seen Jin Xiaomei for many days, asks her to stay a few more days. Chen Yunfei is puzzled by Zeng Zhaoji's decision to close the Machinery Bureau, but Zeng Zhaoji doesn't explain the situation to him. When he sees Qi Songru approaching, he angrily avoids him.
Jin Xiaomei informs Lady Zhong about Qi Songru accepting bribes from officials and arranging their positions within the Machinery Bureau. Lady Zhong suggests discussing the matter once Ding Baozhen's health improves. A few days later, the family gathers for a meal, and Ding Baozhen asks about the dismissal of the workers at the Machinery Bureau but senses that Zeng Zhaoji is hiding something and doesn't inquire further.
Zeng Zhaoji, Li Pei Rong, and Jin Xiaomei each have their own concerns and don't know how to bring them up. Ding Baozhen notices their unusual behavior. Chengdu is the closest place to Dujiangyan, so why is there no news about the resettlement of the disaster victims in Chengdu while there is news in Tongzhou? Lady Zhong explains that Qi Songru is worried that there may be bandits among the refugees, so they haven't been resettled.
Ding Baozhen manages to get information about Qi Songru accepting bribes and decides it's time to have a talk with him. The next day, Ding Baozhen summons Qi Songru, wanting to know about recent events in Chengdu during his absence. However, Qi Songru claims that everything is peaceful. Ding Baozhen truthfully reveals the issue of the refugees and expresses his disappointment with Qi Songru's actions. None of his immoral behavior and lack of concern for the people are teachings of Ding Baozhen. He advises Qi Songru to change his ways and hands him a passage from the works of Mencius, encouraging him to study the way of governance and not to have regrets too late.
Minister Chen, from the Ministry of Works, hosts a banquet at a restaurant, and this time he has come for the matter of the Dujiangyan irrigation system. Qi Songru learns that Ding Baozhen was not invited but decides to attend after initially refusing, and he even throws away the passage from Mencius that Ding Baozhen gave him.
Comments(Episode 25)