General and I Episode 24 Recap, Plot

> General and I
> General and I Recap

The Yan King, upon learning that Bai Pingting was alive and had rescued Chu Beijie from peril, found the situation intriguing. He remarked that he never expected Bai Pingting, whom he thought was dead, to save the isolated Chu Beijie. He noted that Emperor Sima Hong had not attended court for half a month and was likely still unaware of these developments.

When his aide speculated about Chu Beijie’s potential rebellion, the Yan King responded that regardless of Chu Beijie's true intentions, the ensuing chaos in Jin State would ultimately benefit Great Yan. He Xia visited Princess Yaotian in her palace to humbly apologize for the humiliation she had endured from the Jin people. Yaotian urged him to rise, reminding him that as ruler and subject, and more importantly, husband and wife, they should support each other through honor and disgrace.

She stated that what happened was expected and that she was not saddened. She cautioned him to remember that it is difficult to fathom a person's mind. She questioned why he readily trusted the Zhang family father and daughter when he was always on guard against Prime Minister Gui. She stressed that Bailan and the world would one day belong to them, and there was nothing more reliable than their own power.

Yaotian reflected on her ten years as a hostage in Great Liang, where she learned the importance of silent endurance. She advised He Xia that they should also endure silently, as all humiliation is temporary. Prime Minister Gui and the assembled ministers knelt outside the royal hall, petitioning Princess Yaotian to punish He Xia. They accused He Xia of disregarding national safety, causing her to suffer a great loss of prestige, and being malicious and duplicitous.

Yaotian initially appeared to comply, announcing her decree to revoke He Xia's military seal, remove his title of Generalissimo of the Flying Cavalry, and excuse him from attending court sessions from the following day. However, she then subtly turned the tables on the ministers. She questioned whether she, as the one who gave the military order, and the other generals who failed to mobilize troops, should also be punished.

Furthermore, she pointed out that despite the invasion of 100,000 Liang troops, He Xia had prevented Bailan from losing even a single soldier. She asked how he could be considered malicious and duplicitous given this success. She advised the ministers to be merciful, having already punished He Xia, and to cease their complaints about him from the next day onward.

The ministers recognized the underlying message in her words, with one remarking to Prime Minister Gui that the Princess was not as obedient as he had anticipated. Prime Minister Gui, to himself, stated that since he could elevate her, he could also depose her, implying she had not yet gained sufficient power. Due to his deteriorating health, Emperor Sima Hong continued to refuse to attend court, leaving Chancellor Zhang to manage state affairs.

During a court session, several ministers grew agitated, demanding to see the ailing Emperor and questioning his prolonged absence. General Cheng openly challenged Chancellor Zhang, accusing him of delaying reinforcements and causing the Jin army's utter defeat and Prince Zhenbei's near death. Chancellor Zhang retaliated by labeling General Cheng illiterate and attempting to trap him with words. He asserted that all his actions were sanctioned by the Emperor, who was fully aware of the outcomes.

The confrontation escalated, with ministers insisting on an audience with the Emperor, leading to a physical confrontation with Zhang's guards. Later, Chancellor Zhang met with Sima Hong, who confirmed he was still unwell and needed Zhang to continue handling state matters. Zhang reported that the Liang Army had withdrawn from Bailan, and Bailan had agreed to open the pass as promised, with Princess Yaotian herself planning to visit Jiankang City to express gratitude. Sima Hong was pleased by this news.

However, Zhang then knelt, confessing that the war had hidden facts. He revealed that providing aid to Bailan had resulted in immense suffering for Prince Zhenbei of Great Jin, who, according to scouts, had fought alone without any Bailan support, leading to over half of the Jin army sustaining casualties. Zhang attributed his failure to send timely reinforcements to battle reports being intercepted by Bailan.

He suggested that He Xia, Bailan's Prince Consort, harbored a deep-seated grudge against Prince Zhenbei and might have used the war to exact private revenge. Sima Hong, concerned, approved Zhang's proposal to send an envoy to the Bailan border to welcome Prince Zhenbei back and clarify any misunderstandings. Zhang then disclosed a further, more astonishing, detail: Prince Zhenbei's escape from death was due to the intervention of another person, who led the remaining Jin soldiers to safety.

This person, he revealed, was Bai Pingting. Sima Hong reacted with outrage, dismissing the claim as "nonsense" and "ridiculous," insisting that Bai Pingting was dead and accusing anyone spreading such rumors of insulting his royal prestige. He immediately issued a decree that anyone, regardless of status, caught circulating these rumors would be executed. Chancellor Zhang was informed by his subordinate that Bai Pingting was indeed alive and seen alongside Chu Beijie in Bailan.

Acknowledging Bai Pingting's capabilities, Zhang immediately ordered a team to eliminate both of them, expressing his resolve not to let them return to Great Jin alive. His subordinate assured him of "double insurance," revealing that not only were Zhang's own men following Chu Beijie and Bai Pingting, but he had also hired the notorious "Twelve Water Ghosts from Hexi" to ambush them on the Huarong River, which was their only route back to Jin.

Zhang made it clear that he would personally await two dead bodies at the Huarong River. Meanwhile, Zhang Noble Consort expressed her annoyance to her father, Chancellor Zhang, about having to maintain her fake pregnancy. He appeased her, explaining that Royal Physician Li had found a woman with the same confinement date, and once that child was born, Emperor Sima Hong would meet his demise. Zhang Noble Consort conceded the strategic value of this child for their power.

She then voiced concerns about the Bailan Princess's upcoming visit, fearing it would complicate their control over the court. Chancellor Zhang revealed his broader plan: he aimed for Chu Beijie to be killed, either by Sima Hong or by the people of Bailan. He intended to leverage Chu Beijie's death as a pretext to eliminate their adversaries and utilize others, ultimately paving the way for them to crown a new king.

As Chu Beijie and Bai Pingting made their way back, they were ambushed by assassins. Chu Beijie inquired about their master, but the assassins were death warriors, instantly taking poison from capsules hidden between their teeth. Bai Pingting noted that even their weapons were poisoned. She speculated that the attackers were not from Bailan, believing He Xia would not operate within Bailan's borders.

Recognizing the perilous journey ahead, especially the Huarong River, which was their only and most dangerous route into Great Jin, Bai Pingting proposed a trick that would require physical effort. Chu Beijie readily agreed to assist her. Their elaborate plan involved procuring two body doubles and some wine. On their boat, they meticulously installed small mechanisms. When the "Twelve Water Ghosts" arrived for the ambush, Chu Beijie quickly dealt with the initial attackers.

Bai Pingting skillfully lured more assassins into traps on the boat, causing them to fall into the water. Chu Beijie then activated a mechanism that created a powerful whirlpool, drowning additional attackers. Despite the "water ghost" leader's orders to jump into the water, his remaining men hesitated, fearing the danger, forcing him to push them in.

After successfully neutralizing their attackers, Bai Pingting began to disguise Chu Beijie, remarking on his naturally imposing appearance and applying makeup to make him look "more normal" and less conspicuous. She assured him it wouldn't be too ugly, even offering him a pancake and water. Bai Pingting then explained their strategy: by daybreak, local officials would discover fourteen dead bodies in the river. These would include their two body doubles and the twelve "water ghosts" they had just eliminated.

The news of their supposed deaths would swiftly reach the assassins' master, leading everyone to believe that Chu Beijie and Bai Pingting were dead, thereby ensuring a safe passage for the remainder of their journey back to Great Jin. Emperor Sima Hong's health continued to decline significantly; he was now so weak that he could not even lift a teacup.

At this critical juncture, Chancellor Zhang, who had been dispatched to the Bailan-Jin border to welcome Chu Beijie back to court, returned in a state of distress. He reported with trepidation that intelligence had confirmed Prince Zhenbei had been killed.

Episode 23 Recap

Episode 25 Recap