General's Lady Episode 18 Recap
> General's Lady Recap
Shen Jin and Chu Xiuming lay awake, their unease from the doctor's strange behavior keeping them from sleep. Shen Jin asked Chu Xiuming where he was going as he got out of bed, and he replied that he was going to read. The next morning, Shen Jin observed Bai Rou, dressed in unusually plain clothes, hurrying out of the mansion through a side gate. Shen Jin approached her, remarking on her distinctive change in attire.
Bai Rou claimed she and her maid, Zhu'er, were going to a monastery to offer incense and pray for the mansion's fortune. When Shen Jin inquired about an elaborately packed box Zhu'er was carrying, Bai Rou quickly dismissed it as ordinary offerings hastily packed. Shen Jin offered to accompany them, but Bai Rou firmly refused, citing the need for purification and a clear mind for blessings, implying Shen Jin's presence would bring misfortune. Shen Jin conceded and let them go.
Sensing something was amiss, Shen Jin secretly followed Bai Rou, who deliberately led her into a secluded alley. There, thugs suddenly surrounded Shen Jin. Just as they were about to attack, Chu Xiuming swiftly intervened, incapacitating the assailants in moments. He then took Shen Jin home, explaining that he had followed her after noticing her worried expression as she left the mansion. Back home, Shen Jin told Chu Xiuming that Bai Rou's strange actions had made her suspicious.
Chu Xiuming revealed that he too had seen an unfamiliar figure heading towards Bai Rou's room one night, and Shen Jin added that her mother had mentioned frequent thefts within the mansion. Since Bai Rou held the keys to the treasury, they suspected she was colluding with an outsider. Chu Xiuming advised Shen Jin not to act on their suspicions without concrete evidence, fearing a false accusation could backfire, and assured her he would investigate the matter himself.
The next morning, Shen Jin encountered Zhu'er in a corridor with an unfamiliar man dressed as a servant. When questioned, Zhu'er nervously claimed he was hired by Bai Rou to copy scriptures, then quickly changed her story to say he was her cousin visiting for a family emergency. Shen Jin let them go but warned Zhu'er to be careful not to tarnish Bai Rou's reputation. Later, Bai Rou scolded Zhu'er for her carelessness.
As her only confidant, she instructed Zhu'er to tell their accomplice to stay away for a few days to avoid raising suspicion. Bai Rou was growing frustrated, as Shen Jin seemed to be watching her every move, often appearing whenever she tried to leave and pointedly advising her to sever ties with suspicious individuals. Feeling cornered, Bai Rou arranged a meeting with Chu Xiuming at an inn, using Shen Jin's name to lure him there.
When Shen Jin arrived, Bai Rou immediately clung to Chu Xiuming, feigning innocence and claiming she thought Shen Jin had invited her. Unswayed, Shen Jin sharply rebuked her, reminding her that Chu Xiuming was not as easily fooled as Prince Rui. Defeated, Bai Rou left in disgrace. Back at the mansion, Chu Xiuming explained he had gone to the inn only to uncover Bai Rou's intentions.
He commended Shen Jin for her composure, but she, detecting a lingering "scent of a seductress" on his shawl, immediately instructed Meaty to burn it. Chu Xiuming jokingly offered to remove all his clothes, but Shen Jin playfully called him a "silly general" and ordered Meaty to prepare his bath. That night, Chu Xiuyuan secretly followed Bai Rou as she carried a chest of valuables out of the mansion.
He watched her enter a secluded room, confirming that she was indeed having an illicit affair. During the Mid-autumn Festival feast, Shen Zi and Shen Jing presented Bai Rou with lavish gifts and praised her scheme to use a "borrowed knife" to deal with Shen Jin. Bai Rou then mocked Shen Jin for not preparing a gift. In response, Shen Jin presented her father, Prince Rui, with a beautiful piece of jade specially chosen by her mother, Consort Chen.
Prince Rui was deeply pleased. Throughout the feast, Bai Rou deliberately plied the Prince with alcohol, clearly planning to act that night. Once the household was asleep, Bai Rou carried a final chest of jewels to the secret room, murmuring that she had brought enough for her and her lover, Bin, to live on for the rest of their lives. Upon entering, however, she was met not by Bin, but by Chu Xiuyuan, sword in hand.
Chu Xiuming and Shen Jin then appeared, followed by Prince Rui himself. Caught, Bai Rou frantically tried to lie, claiming Bin had kidnapped her and forced her to steal from the treasury, showing fake marks on her neck as proof. Shen Jin exposed her deceit, pointing out that the jewels bore the mansion's sigil and could only have come from the treasury, to which Bai Rou alone had the key.
When Prince Rui ordered Bin to be bludgeoned to death, he confessed everything, revealing that Bai Rou had planned the entire scheme to steal the family's wealth and run away with him. A furious Bai Rou denied it, and the two descended into a bitter argument, hurling insults at each other. With the shameful affair exposed, Prince Rui expressed his gratitude to Chu Xiuming, who gave the credit to Shen Jin.
Prince Rui acknowledged Shen Jin as his "good daughter" and, at her request, promised to treat Consort Chen better. He then pleaded with them to keep the domestic scandal a secret. With the General's Mansion completed, Chu Xiuming and Shen Jin prepared to leave. After bidding farewell to Prince Rui and Consort Chen, they decided to share a single horse, enjoying the city scenery on their way to their new home.
Shen Jing and her friends watched them go, filled with bitter envy over Shen Jin's good fortune. In their new home, Chu Xiuming admitted his unease with the complex politics of the Imperial City. Shen Jin reassured him, declaring herself his "strategist" and vowing to help him navigate the court. She proposed they first win the support of the civil officials by targeting their respected leader, Lord Situ, reasoning they should "capture the leader to defeat his force."
Chu Xiuming noted Lord Situ’s arrogance and disdain for military men, but Shen Jin suggested they "cater to his likes." She revealed that Lord Situ was fond of the pitch-pot game, a skill she had mastered in her youth. As she began to teach Chu Xiuming, the battle-hardened general surprised her by grasping the game with natural and impressive accuracy.
