General and I Episode 1 Recap, Plot

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> General and I Recap

The Central Plains were embroiled in a protracted conflict, with Yan and Jin states locked in a stalemate for over a hundred days. As midsummer arrived, Yan suffered a century-long drought. Seizing the opportunity, Chu Beijie, the Generalissimo of Jin, led a formidable army of one hundred thousand to assault Puban City, a crucial Yan stronghold. Facing this overwhelming force, He Xia, the young Prince Jing'an of Yan, was entrusted with the city's defense.

As Chu Beijie’s army advanced, a Jin general remarked on the dried-up Pu River, ensuring nothing could halt their forces as they prepared to surround Puban City. The general expressed a fleeting regret that the respected old Prince Jing'an was not present, but acknowledged He Xia's swift rise to fame and significant military contributions to Yan State, cautioning against any carelessness.

Meanwhile, He Xia received an oral decree from the Yan King, delivered by his trusted maid, Bai Pingting: safeguard Puban City at all costs. Distraught by the seemingly insurmountable odds of his eight thousand garrison troops against the enemy's hundred thousand, He Xia voiced his despair, asking how such a battle could be fought. Bai Pingting, however, calmly reassured her young master, revealing she had a well-devised plan. Soon after, a war chariot emerged from Puban City.

He Xia personally rode out to challenge Chu Beijie to a one-on-one duel, provoking him by questioning his bravery and leadership if he dared not face him alone. Despite his subordinate’s warning that it was a clear tactic to lure him out, Chu Beijie, acknowledging the common deception in warfare, accepted the challenge. Bai Pingting had already observed the astronomical signs, predicting heavy rain around noontime.

She instructed He Xia to follow her zither music as a signal, simply needing to lure Chu Beijie into the barren riverbed, after which the enemy would be destroyed effortlessly. As the battle commenced, dark clouds began to roll in, followed by flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder. From the city wall, Bai Pingting, dressed in flowing white, sat playing her zither. As the weather intensified, her music grew rapid and urgent.

Following her cue, He Xia retreated into the city. Unaware of the intricate plan, Chu Moran, a Jin general, ordered a full assault on the city. As the Jin army advanced into the riverbed, a sudden surge of floodwaters, unleashed from upstream, cascaded into the dry river path. Despite Chu Beijie’s immediate command to halt, a significant number of his soldiers were swept away.

After the Jin army’s retreat, Chu Beijie ordered Chu Moran to establish a camp ten miles away and then meet him alone in Changzi City. Although the Jin army had temporarily retreated, Bai Pingting remained deeply uneasy. She questioned why the Yan King had sent He Xia to fight a battle with such impossible odds, sensing a hidden motive.

She advised He Xia not to return to the imperial court, believing the retreat was too easy for a formidable leader like Chu Beijie. She highlighted Chu Beijie’s reputation, acknowledging that even He Xia’s father in his prime only stood a fifty percent chance against him, and noted that their flooding strategy, while effective, relied heavily on coincidence.

Bai Pingting feared that Chu Beijie’s forces remained largely intact and could easily devour them once the floodwaters subsided, making his swift retreat highly suspicious. He Xia, however, dismissed her concerns, claiming he understood his perilous position. He knew the newly enthroned Yan King was wary of his mother, the Elder Princess, and her influence. The King secretly hoped for He Xia’s death in battle, which would allow him to seize military command and dismantle the Prince Jing'an family.

Despite these dangers, He Xia felt compelled to return, believing that a victorious return would protect his parents from the King’s machinations. Meanwhile, the Jin King received reports of Chu Beijie's retreat from Puban. Furious that his hundred thousand strong army had been thwarted by a mere rainstorm and eight thousand Yan soldiers, the King declared that if it were anyone else but Chu Beijie, he would have already ordered a beheading.

Despite a minister's attempts to calm him by praising Chu Beijie's meticulous and undefeated military record, the King refused to listen. He commanded Grand Marshal Xie to immediately send an urgent military report to Chu Beijie, ordering him to find a countermeasure and continue charging towards Changzi City to conquer Yan State, threatening severe military punishment if he failed again.

The Jin minister then revealed that Chu Beijie had already snuck into Changzi City alone after ordering his army to camp ten miles away. In Changzi City, Chu Beijie confronted the Yan King. He mocked the King's insecure throne, pointing out that with the Prince Jing'an family achieving yet another military success, the people of Changzi City praised the Elder Princess and Prince Jing'an, leaving the new king virtually unknown.

Chu Beijie then emphasized the heavy toll of the continuous warfare on the people, arguing that Yan faced internal strife while still grappling with external problems. He stated that a ruler who loses the people's hearts loses the world, offering a solution: if the Yan King eliminated the Prince Jing'an family, he guaranteed an end to the conflict and the King’s safety, resolving both internal and external issues.

When the Yan King balked at personally carrying out the deed, Chu Beijie reiterated that it was the King's family matter to resolve, leaving his troops stationed ten miles from Puban as a silent ultimatum. Upon He Xia's victorious return, the Yan King arranged a welcoming ceremony, intending it as a trap. The King offered a precious, dangerous Ink-Black Sword, known for its fatal wounds, seemingly as a reward.

He Xia politely declined to draw a weapon in the King's presence, indicating his awareness of the hidden threat. Just as He Xia was pressed to enter the palace for a banquet, Bai Pingting intervened. She publicly announced that the Elder Princess was gravely ill, compelling He Xia to return to the manor. Reluctantly, the King granted permission. Back at the manor, He Xia questioned Bai Pingting about his mother's condition.

Bai Pingting revealed that the Elder Princess was fine; her feigned illness was a ruse to prevent He Xia from walking into the King’s trap. She had discovered the King had mobilized three thousand palace guards and feared for He Xia's safety. She had also arranged for the manor's residents to evacuate to Wulao Peaks. Amid the crisis, He Xia proposed to Bai Pingting, promising to wed her once they were safe.

Furious at the Yan King’s deceit, He Xia was soon overtaken by the palace guards, who had been ordered to pursue him. The King had accused He Xia of treason, issuing false military commands, and ordered the entire Prince Jing'an Manor sealed and everyone killed, explicitly sparing only Bai Pingting. As the manor burned and the guards attacked, He Xia tried to explain his innocence, but the guards, under strict orders, ignored his pleas.

Realizing their desperate situation, Bai Pingting quickly took He Xia's cape, insisting she would lure away the soldiers. Despite He Xia's protests, she reasoned that as a mere maid, her capture would only result in superficial wounds, not death, as the King wanted her alive. She promised to escape and meet him at Wulao Peaks. Donning He Xia's cape, she drew the guards away, but was struck by an arrow and fell from a cliff, vanishing from sight.

Meanwhile, Chu Beijie had already arrived at Wulao Peaks, anticipating the arrival of Prince Jing'an. He had explained to his subordinate, Chu Moran, that the Yan King's reliance on his own forces would be insufficient. Chu Beijie stated that if the Prince Jing'an family was not eliminated, it would continue to cause problems for Jin, prompting him to decide to assist the Yan King.

In Chu Beijie's view, the complete disappearance of the Prince Jing'an family was the only path to lasting peace between Yan and Jin. He had orchestrated the ambush, having Chu Moran hijack He Xia's carriage and redirect it towards the palace, framing He Xia for attempting to assassinate the Yan King. At Wulao Peaks, Chu Beijie confronted Prince Jing'an, reminding him of their previous encounter three years prior.

Chu Beijie accused the Prince of breaking his vow never to engage in war again, leading to endless conflict and suffering for the Jin people. He taunted the ailing Prince, asserting that his illness was the only reason Jin could easily advance. Chu Beijie declared that he was there to claim the life Prince Jing'an owed him from three years ago. During the ensuing battle, the aging Prince Jing'an was no match for Chu Beijie.

Chu Beijie scornfully called him a faded hero, which enraged Prince Jing'an, leading him to take his own life. The Elder Princess, unwilling to live without her husband, also committed suicide. He Xia, now orphaned, was pursued by General Lu Ke. In a moment of desperation, Lu Ke subtly prompted He Xia to take him hostage, allowing He Xia to escape certain death.

By a stroke of fortune, Chu Beijie discovered Bai Pingting, washed ashore after her fall from the cliff. As he looked upon her, an inexplicable memory surfaced in Chu Beijie's mind: the face of a childhood playmate, one he had never consciously met.

Episode 2 Recap