General and I Episode 9 Recap
> General and I Recap
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Princess Yaotian of Bailan arrived in Jin, where she was received with great courtesy. Upon entering the main hall for an audience with the King of Jin, her accompanying General Gui was stopped by Jin guards who stated that no weapons were allowed inside. Princess Yaotian explained that Bailan military rule dictates a soldier must not be away from his weapon when outside.
After this exchange, Princess Yaotian formally greeted the King of Jin, expressing gratitude for Jin's hospitality and offering a grand gift to show her appreciation. The King of Jin hosted a banquet to welcome her, where he proposed a partnership to establish a silk road for Jin's silk to be sold in Bailan.
Princess Yaotian, after some thought, stated that such an important matter of state would require discussion with her ministers upon her return to Bailan, which displeased the King of Jin. During the feast, the King of Jin gifted Princess Yaotian an exquisitely crafted robe, boasting of its cost and beauty, stating it was fit for someone of her character.
Princess Yaotian humbly accepted, then remarked that if Bailan girls could wear Jin silk, it would look splendid, but it was too expensive. The King of Jin then urged her to open up the port and establish a silk road, so Jin's silk would become commonplace in Bailan. Princess Yaotian, however, repeated that as a "lone bird," she could not unilaterally decide on such a grand state affair, needing to consult with her ministers back in Bailan.
The King of Jin persisted, reminding her she was the last of Bailan's pure royal blood. Despite his encouragement and offer of support, she maintained that the trade route opening was not something she could do alone. A subordinate later reported to the King of Jin that their trade caravans entering Yan territory had been repeatedly robbed, resulting in heavy losses and almost all personnel dead. The few survivors claimed that soldiers of Liang were responsible.
Meanwhile, the Queen of Jin met Princess Yaotian and instantly took a liking to her, engaging in warm conversation. When the King of Jin arrived, the Queen urged Princess Yaotian to share her unspoken difficulties with him. Princess Yaotian revealed that her reluctance to agree to the silk road partnership was indeed due to the King of Liang. She explained that the silk road checkpoints were under the joint control of Bailan and Liang.
She had long wished to trade with Jin, but before she left Liang, the King of Liang had threatened her, forbidding her from trading privately with other neighboring states and demanding that Bailan align with Liang in raising customs taxes. Given Bailan's military inferiority to Liang, she felt powerless and thus dared not agree to the trade route publicly. The King of Jin scoffed at Liang, dismissing them as an "outlying country."
He pledged to send Jin troops to Liang within a month to resolve her concerns and open the trade route between Jin and Bailan. Princess Yaotian expressed profound gratitude, promising to immediately open the trade route upon her return, ensuring Jin soldiers could move freely through Bailan. Bai Pingting decided to leave, writing a letter to He Xia. Dongzhuo anxiously questioned her destination.
Bai Pingting explained that one must know when to advance and when to retreat; her previous cunning against Chu Beijie was an advance, and now it was time to retreat. She stated that she had repaid her debt to the House of Prince Jing'an, and from that point, she would have no further ties to them.
Dongzhuo, unable to dissuade her, brought Bai Pingting to He Xia at the graves of his parents, Prince Jing'an and the Elder Princess, for her to bid farewell. He Xia asked why she was leaving. Bai Pingting explained that her departure was best for him, the House of Prince Jing'an, and herself.
She stated that she should not, and did not deserve to, know what He Xia was currently doing, and that he himself was conflicted, unable to neglect her due to her merits yet unable to relax his guard due to his suspicions. He Xia scoffed, dismissing her reasons as grandiloquent excuses. He declared that from the moment she accepted Chu Beijie's Soul Taker Sword, he knew her heart had already gone to Chu Beijie.
He Xia expressed his disbelief that his decade-plus of affection for her could not compare to her mere few days with Chu Beijie. Bai Pingting swore she would not seek out Chu Beijie and would never see him again, but she could not marry He Xia because she would never be able to forget Chu Beijie. She begged He Xia to kill her, wishing to be freed from her torment.
He Xia, in a furious outcry, ordered her to "get out!" He told her to remember that she was a traitor to the House of Prince Jing'an, and from that day forward, the House would sever all ties with her. He Xia and Dongzhuo prepared to leave Yan territory but were once again pursued by Lu Ke and his forces. Fortunately, General Gui arrived with reinforcements, allowing He Xia and Dongzhuo to escape safely.
At a banquet, the King of Jin announced a joyous occasion: Chu Beijie, the Prince of Zhenbei, had personally gone to Yan and persuaded the King of Yan to exchange fifteen copper mines for a five-year non-aggression pact with Jin. This was hailed as a great fortune for the nation and a blessing for the common people, crediting Chu Beijie with a major accomplishment.
The King of Jin immediately appointed Chu Beijie as the commander-in-chief of all three armies, ordering him to intensify war preparations for an imminent invasion of Liang. The purpose was to punish the "outsiders" who had killed Jin citizens and plundered Jin property, with the added advantage that Princess Yaotian of Bailan had already agreed to open up a passage for Jin troops to march unobstructed into Liang.
After consuming several cups of wine, the King of Jin felt dizzy and distraught. He stumbled out of the main hall, claiming a need for fresh air, but immediately pulled out a golden pill and consumed it. Chu Beijie, concerned, had followed him out and witnessed this act. The King of Jin urged Chu Beijie not to reveal what he had seen. Chu Beijie later secretly took one of the pills and asked the Queen if she knew its ingredients.
The Queen explained that Zhang Shangshu had commissioned a Taoist priest named Wu to specially formulate the pill for His Majesty, and indeed, the King's spirit and health had improved significantly after taking it. She added that Imperial Physician Huo had also examined it and confirmed it contained only nourishing ingredients. Chu Beijie expressed his concern, stating that he felt His Majesty's health seemed to have deteriorated greatly that day.
