General and I Episode 57 Recap
> General and I Recap
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Chu Beijie and Bai Pingting prepared for the solemn burial of Sima Hong, who had passed away. Chu Beijie addressed the late emperor, acknowledging the difficulties of their long military campaign and explaining that they could only lay him to rest there, allowing him to return to the land of Great Jin he had protected his entire life, finding peace like a fallen leaf returning to its roots.
Before they could meet with the arriving Liang army, they destroyed most of their remaining provisions to mislead the Bailan forces. Meanwhile, Bai Pingting penned a letter to Yang Feng, detailing her reunion with Chu Beijie and their successful meeting with the allied Jin and Liang forces, aided by Chief General Ruo Han.
She expressed gratitude to Yang Feng for caring for Changxiao and Ze Qing and urged her to bring the two boys to reunite with them in the Jin-Liang Army as soon as possible, as the allied army would soon embark on a war expedition to fight He Xia and relieve the common people's suffering.
Yang Feng, reading the letter to a curious Changxiao, confirmed that his mother had met his father, a "great hero" known worldwide for never losing a battle. News reached He Xia via Fei Zhaoxing that Sima Hong had died, and before his death, had decreed Chu Beijie as his successor, making him the new ruler of Great Jin.
He Xia was initially furious but then declared that the time had come for a final decisive battle with Chu Beijie, who had finally chosen to confront him. Fei Zhaoxing suggested attacking Jin State immediately, as Sima Hong's death left its people in mourning and its soldiers grieving. However, He Xia dismissed this as a foolish move, believing Chu Beijie's schemes were too well-thought-out. Instead, He Xia proposed a direct conquest of Great Yan, which he believed was undefended.
He explained that eliminating Yan would deprive Chu Beijie of reinforcements, ensuring his destruction. This strategy, he declared, would allow him to conquer Yan first and then destroy Jin, easily bringing all power in the world under his grasp and accomplishing his great cause. Back with the allied forces, Chu Beijie, now the King of Jin, affirmed his resolve to protect Sima Hong's territory against He Xia.
The Jin and Liang generals were eager for a decisive battle, but Bai Pingting urged caution, stating that a face-to-face confrontation with the Bailan Army was not imminent. She explained that their allied force, though growing, was still not comparable to He Xia's army of tens of thousands, and they needed time to recruit more soldiers.
She reasoned that if He Xia attacked Great Jin, the neighboring Yan State would inevitably intervene, leaving the Bailan Army vulnerable to attacks from both sides. Knowing He Xia's meticulous nature, Pingting concluded that attacking Great Jin was not his best strategy. Instead, she believed He Xia's best move would be to swiftly annihilate Yan State, eliminating a future concern before marching on Jin, which he would save as his "final snack".
She reassured the worried generals that because He Xia was from Yan and understood its royal family well, he would exploit the weaknesses of the Le clan father and son duo, surrounding their city for several days to exhaust the Yan Army. This, she predicted, would grant the Jin-Liang army precious time to prepare fully for battle, making it possible to defeat a larger enemy with a smaller force.
Unbeknownst to them, a spy reported to He Xia that Chu Beijie and Bai Pingting were actively recruiting along the Jin-Liang border, and that Prince Zhenbei's return had inspired many, including warlords, local officials, and even General Hua Can of the Liang Army, to pledge allegiance.
He Xia, realizing Pingting was again anticipating his moves and thinking he was too preoccupied with Yan to deal with Jin, immediately ordered his three armies to prepare for an all-out assault, commanding that the battle to conquer Yan State must be completed within two days.
Despite a general's concerns about the troops' exhaustion, He Xia declared it a military order, vowing that the day he ruled the world would be the day Chu Beijie and Bai Pingting would be separated by death. Late that night, Chu Beijie found Pingting still poring over maps in her tent. He expressed concern for her health, but Pingting insisted on meticulous planning, knowing that even minor miscalculations in military strategies could lead to huge consequences.
Chu Beijie tried to persuade her to rest, but Pingting proposed a bet: she said that among Bailan's many cities, only one held enough food supply to turn the tide of the war. They would each write the name of this city on their palm, and if Chu Beijie guessed correctly, she would rest. With unspoken understanding, they both revealed the name "Qie Rou" on their palms.
The next morning, Chu Beijie announced their strategy to his generals: a direct assault on Qie Rou. He explained that this move, which Pingting and he devised last night, would force the Bailan Army into a corner by cutting off their vital food supply, hitting He Xia where it hurt him most.
Just as he issued the order to launch a surprise attack on Qie Rou in three days, a report arrived announcing the arrival of General Hua Can of the Liang Army. Chu Beijie warmly welcomed Hua Can, who expressed admiration for Chu Beijie's decision to rise against He Xia. Hua Can then revealed he had brought along Yang Feng, Doctor Huo, and two children.
Chu Beijie rushed to the stream where Pingting, Doctor Huo, Yang Feng, and the children were playing. Seeing his son Changxiao, Chu Beijie's heart swelled with joy. However, when he tried to embrace Changxiao and asked if he knew who he was, the boy declared Chu Beijie a "bad person," recalling that he had "bullied Uncle A'Han," and stubbornly refused to call him "Father."
Despite Chu Beijie's attempts to win him over with a bird's nest, Changxiao remained defiant, much to Chu Beijie's dismay. At the welcoming banquet, Chu Beijie tried to create a relaxed atmosphere, asking everyone to treat him as merely "Chu Beijie." Yet, Changxiao still refused to sit next to him. During the festivities, Doctor Huo inquired about his disciple Zui Ju, who he heard had been with the Princess Consort.
Chu Beijie solemnly informed him that Zui Ju had tragically fallen prey to bandits and passed away in the Pine Forest Mountain Range while traveling to Great Liang. Meanwhile, in Changzi City, a general reported to He Xia that the city's food supply had been cut off for several days, leading to riots among the common people and numerous escapes. Recognizing the moment, He Xia ordered his Left and Right Generals to prepare for war.
From outside the city walls, He Xia personally challenged Changzi, warning that if they did not meet him in battle, he would lead a hundred thousand soldiers to trample and massacre the city over ten days. Inside Yongde Palace Hall, panic erupted, with officials advocating for surrender. However, General Lu Ke bravely rode out to confront He Xia.
He Xia, acknowledging a past debt to Lu Ke for allowing him to escape, urged the general to abandon the declining Yan kingdom and join him, promising not to disappoint him. But Lu Ke staunchly refused, stating that He Xia had already disappointed the entire world, and as a subject of Yan, his soul would belong to Yan even in death. Accepting Lu Ke's defiance, He Xia coldly promised him a proper burial.
