General and I Episode 4 Recap, Plot

> General and I
> General and I Recap

Chu Beijie's marriage preparations were underway. His subordinates congratulated him, noting that everything was ready at Hua Manor and the royal decree had been sent. Chu Beijie inquired about Bai Pingting, learning that she had gone to tailor her wedding gown and was outwardly tranquil. However, Hua Manor's guards intercepted a homing pigeon from her with the words "Stop war" written on it.

Chu Beijie understood this message was meant for him, realizing Bai Pingting was not willing to marry him but was acting as a lobbyist for her master. Despite this, he affirmed his intention to marry her. He later sent gifts to Bai Pingting, including the homing pigeon with clipped wings, signifying that she could no longer fly away. On the day of the ceremony, Bai Pingting prepared a plain garment, a custom for the bride to present to her husband.

She mixed dye for the garment, expressing her wish for Chu Beijie to remember his home after battles. She also spoke of the Jin custom where a bride would make such a garment, hoping to spend her life with her husband. She then revealed the harsh reality: Chu Beijie, as a formidable general, was responsible for the deaths of countless husbands. Unbeknownst to her, she had laced the garment with poison.

As he received the gift, he reciprocated with a zither named "Phoenix Paulownia," hoping its ethereal sound would ease her troubles, lamenting that if not for the conflict between Yan and Jin, she would have been his soulmate. Soon after, Bai Pingting collapsed, poisoned, and Chu Beijie, having touched the garment, also showed symptoms. Royal Physician Huo was urgently summoned.

Hua Manor panicked, contemplating how to explain that Bai Pingting was merely a maidservant who deliberately tried to poison Chu Beijie, thus absolving themselves. Noble Consort Zhang, upon hearing the news, rushed to the manor. Royal Physician Huo confirmed that both Chu Beijie and Bai Pingting were out of danger, stating that the poison had been precisely dosed to not be fatal. Later, Chu Beijie confronted Bai Pingting.

He knew she hadn't genuinely tried to kill him, but rather used the non-fatal poison to expose her identity. He also realized her refusal to return to his manor the previous night was a ploy to await capture and gain an audience with the Jin King to propose her "stop war" agenda. Bai Pingting, feigning sleepiness, calmly agreed to discuss it later, aware that Chu Beijie would not let her leave the manor.

Meanwhile, Noble Consort Zhang initiated an investigation at Hua Manor, flogging the Hua family. They confessed that Chu Beijie had forced them to accept Bai Pingting as an adopted daughter. Chu Beijie arrived, stopping the beating and claiming his poisoning was an accident unrelated to the Hua family, reaffirming Bai Pingting as his chosen wife. Noble Consort Zhang, angered by his loyalty to Bai Pingting, returned to the palace, vowing to uncover Bai Pingting's true identity.

The next morning, Bai Pingting prepared plum blossom porridge for Chu Beijie, a Great Yan wedding custom symbolizing a wife's devotion. She explained this, then sincerely asked him to cease all wars. She implored the God of War to lay down his sword, stating she would willingly sacrifice herself if it meant ending the cycle of hatred. Chu Beijie saw through her, acknowledging her tactics as a "honey trap" to influence him.

He declared his genuine desire to marry her, unrelated to any plots, and questioned why she asked him to abandon his career. Bai Pingting reiterated her commitment to repay him with her life if he stopped the war.

Chu Beijie then laid bare her entire scheme: she knew the royal physician was skilled in detoxification, deliberately used a non-lethal poison to reveal her identity, and intentionally stayed at Hua Manor to be captured and present her "stop war" plea directly to the Jin King. Bai Pingting confirmed that her only intention was to stop the war. Soon after, Bai Pingting was arrested as a Yan spy and brought before the Jin King.

She initially claimed to be a homeless maidservant from Jingan Manor seeking revenge for her master, denying any accomplices or being sent by anyone. Disbelieving her, the Jin King ordered her to be slapped until she confessed. Chu Beijie intervened, asserting her as his wife and pleading for her, offering his merits to Great Jin as leverage. His actions drew accusations from officials who saw it as blackmailing the king.

Bai Pingting then offered to reveal the truth under two conditions: ensuring the safety of everyone in Hua Manor and having her body returned to her hometown after her execution. The Jin King agreed. Bai Pingting then disclosed that she was the strategist responsible for the Puban City flooding tactic, shocking the court officials. Chu Beijie confirmed her claim.

Bai Pingting then presented her case: an alliance between Jin and Yan would open trade routes, and with the unstable situation in the north, Yan's mediation was crucial, otherwise, northern states could invade Jin via Yan. She proposed a three-year cessation of hostilities, arguing it would lead to Great Jin's greater prosperity. Chu Beijie supported her, emphasizing that prolonged warfare had depleted the treasury and caused public discontent, urging the king to allow the people to live in peace.

Noble Consort Zhang vehemently opposed this, accusing Bai Pingting of being a witch misleading Chu Beijie and urging the king to execute her. Many officials echoed her sentiment. The Jin King, swayed by the fears of Bai Pingting's cunning, declared that he could not allow her to marry Chu Beijie or release her, stating he could only kill her, comparing her to a "tigress" who would cause major problems for Jin.

Chu Beijie continued to plead, arguing that even without Bai Pingting, he had always intended to stop the war for the sake of the people and the sacrifices of Jingan Manor. Noble Consort Zhang angrily warned Chu Beijie that further pleading for Bai Pingting would be considered treason. Despite Chu Beijie's pleas, the Jin King ordered Bai Pingting to be held in the death prison and executed the following day.

In prison, Chu Beijie had an attendant deliver his hairpin to Bai Pingting, along with the message that "this is the second night." Holding the hairpin, Bai Pingting's memories returned to her childhood. She recalled her father, a master of divination, treating Chu Beijie's ailing mother. Upon learning Chu Beijie's name, her father's expression changed, and he later warned his daughter not to meet him again, having foreseen that Chu Beijie would become a great threat to Yan.

As a parting gift, Chu Beijie's mother had given Bai Pingting the hairpin, wishing her a life free of worries. Bai Pingting finally realized that the man determined to marry her was the same young boy she had met in her childhood. The next day, Chu Beijie galloped to the execution ground to save Bai Pingting, but arrived too late, finding only a pool of blood.

He demanded to know the whereabouts of the body, and the executioner informed him it had been taken to the market for "head sewing" before being buried in a mass grave. Unbeknownst to Chu Beijie, the Jin King had secretly met with the Yan King. The Yan King offered ten copper mines as gratitude for the Jin King quelling internal unrest. He then requested the "Bai family maidservant." The Jin King, seeking more, demanded an additional five copper mines.

At this moment, a disguised and unconscious Bai Pingting was being transported to the agreed exchange point. Chu Beijie, finding that the body at the market was not Bai Pingting's, confronted the Jin King. The Jin King admitted that Bai Pingting was indeed alive, but considered the "Yan spy" dead, deeming the exchange for fifteen copper mines a valuable deal.

Episode 3 Recap

Episode 5 Recap