General and I Episode 28 Recap
> General and I Recap
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As the Great Jin began to stabilize and peace returned, with Emperor Sima Hong's health gradually recovering, Chu Beijie and Bai Pingting sought an audience to bid farewell. During their visit, Zui Ju was attending to Emperor Sima Hong, who, despite her unique acupuncture methods, felt much better. Emperor Sima Hong found Zui Ju's frankness and wit endearing, praising her medical skills and offering her a position as the youngest royal physician.
Zui Ju, however, politely declined, expressing her desire for a more interesting and romantic partner, perhaps someone like Chu Beijie but with fewer worries. Chu Beijie and Bai Pingting then formally bade farewell, informing the Emperor of their plans to leave the following day and live a simple life. Emperor Sima Hong, while understanding their desire for a life free from imperial affairs, reminded Chu Beijie that Great Jin would always be his home and urged him to return often.
Chu Beijie affirmed his unwavering loyalty and gratitude to Great Jin and to Emperor Sima Hong. Following their departure, Emperor Sima Hong issued a decree. Citing the Yan state's abandonment of their shared friendship despite Jin's understanding and adherence to promises, he formally abolished the five-year non-aggression treaty between Yan and Jin.
The decree announced the immediate deployment of an additional 100,000 soldiers to the Yan-Jin border, advising the King of Yan to conduct himself well, or Great Jin would retaliate with full force, disregarding any past friendship. Meanwhile, in Huarong, Princess Yao Tian arrived at the private residence of Gui Yan.
While Gui Yan was busy showering her with flattery and apologizing for any trouble He Xia's past mistakes might have caused during her trip to Jin, a servant reported that He Dapao had been found hanged at the city gate. Gui Yan rushed to the scene, only to discover that the two boxes of gold he had given to He Dapao were missing.
He quickly instructed his subordinates to disperse the crowd and keep the incident and the missing gold a secret, especially from his father, Gui Changqing. Inside the residence, Yao Tian was already waiting when He Xia emerged from a hidden partition. Yao Tian informed him of the latest news from Great Jin: Chu Beijie was not dead.
She recounted how Chancellor Zhang had conspired with the King of Yan to hold Sima Hong captive and frame Chu Beijie, but Chu Beijie had dramatically rescued the Emperor and defeated the Yan army. With Chancellor Zhang now dead, Jin's imperial palace had stabilized. He Xia responded that Chu Beijie's victory was expected, and without Chancellor Zhang, their own side hadn't suffered significant losses. He believed a direct confrontation with Chu Beijie was inevitable.
He Xia then revealed a more pressing matter: Prime Minister Gui Changqing had been secretly dealing with the King of Yan, misappropriating vast military funds as protection money. He Xia emphasized the unreliability of the Yan King and the necessity of a strong Bailan army for self-defense, a goal consistently undermined by Gui Changqing. He presented evidence of the Gui family's collusion with a foreign power and their misuse of military funds, urging Yao Tian to investigate thoroughly.
Yao Tian acknowledged the challenges, recalling Bailan's past as a powerful kingdom and her father's dying wish to avoid war and rebuild. She explained that Gui Changqing's influence was too deeply rooted to be directly challenged with their current strength. However, she suggested that while they couldn't fell the "big tree," they could start by moving the "small tree" – targeting Gui Yan, whom she identified as his father's weakness.
Back in Great Jin, Chu Beijie, still feeling he owed Bai Pingting a proper wedding, arranged for Emperor Sima Hong to issue an imperial decree bestowing marriage upon them. The decree praised Chu Beijie's loyalty and achievements, acknowledging his desire for a tranquil life, and recognized Bai Pingting's virtues and unwavering devotion, stating that her heart beat as one with his. With the help of Zui Ju and Chu Moran, their wedding was celebrated grandly.
At their new home, Chu Beijie personally ensured that Bai Pingting's elaborate dowry, filled with rare treasures from various regions, was delivered. He expressed his regret for the delay in their wedding, explaining that having both lost their parents young, he had sought the Emperor's blessing to ensure a proper union. Inside their bridal chamber, Chu Beijie playfully waited for Bai Pingting to speak, asking her to promise him the right to protect her for life.
He confessed that from the moment he first saw her as a child, he felt certain she would be his wife, viewing their eventual union as destiny after all they had endured. Later, in Huarong, Yao Tian put her plan into motion, inviting Gui Yan for a private drink. She feigned distress and vulnerability, explaining she drank to aid sleep and implying he understood her heart. As he drank more and became intoxicated, Gui Yan grew emboldened.
He began to reminisce about their childhood, mistakenly believing Yao Tian reciprocated his feelings. In a drunken state, he grabbed her hand and ardently confessed his long-held affection and devotion. At that moment, He Xia emerged from behind, striking Gui Yan unconscious. Upon waking, Gui Yan had no memory of his actions and, terrified, begged He Xia for his life, assuming he had gravely offended Princess Yao Tian.
He Xia, seizing the opportunity, offered him a choice: self-castration or public exposure of his transgressions to his father, along with the missing gold. Panicked, Gui Yan pleaded for mercy and promised to do anything. He Xia then presented him with a list of Gui Changqing's allies, demanding full details of their backgrounds and secrets, which Gui Yan immediately agreed to provide to save himself. Dong Zhuo was instructed to record his confession.
In their new home, Chu Beijie, Bai Pingting, and Chu Moran settled into a peaceful routine. Bai Pingting, ever watchful and concerned for their safety, spent her days studying the five-element eight-trigram arrays, meticulously setting up defensive mechanisms around their home, stockpiling medicines, and keeping packed luggage always ready. Chu Beijie, understanding her lingering anxieties, engaged in daily practice with Chu Moran, challenging him to break Bai Pingting's intricate formations.
Despite the arrays' disorienting effects, Chu Moran stubbornly refused to concede defeat. Chu Beijie reassured Bai Pingting, promising to take her beyond the mountains to his mother's homeland after the Dragon Boat Festival. There, they would build a fresh, new paradise, free from the conflicts and historical burdens of Jin, Yan, Bai, and Liang, and far from the Emperor and the specter of the former Little Jing'an King.
Meanwhile, He Xia and Yao Tian dedicated the two boxes of gold confiscated from He Dapao, and even their own resources, to benevolent projects in Huarong, building schools, establishing porridge stations, and repairing docks. They found great satisfaction in their efforts to benefit the local populace. Across the lands, Gui Changqing fumed over his son's ineptitude.
With He Dapao's death, his secret dealings of paying protection money to the King of Yan could no longer be proven, effectively nullifying all his previous efforts and leaving him vulnerable.
