General's Lady Episode 27 Recap
> General's Lady Recap
After an intense search of the General's Mansion under an imperial edict, Lord Liu’s men found nothing. Chu Xiuming confronted Lord Liu, suggesting he might be either fearing Chu Xiuming would save his wife, Shen Jin, or advising the emperor to cause trouble for him. Lord Liu denied influencing the emperor, and upon hearing the search yielded no results, he departed, advising Chu Xiuming to rest.
Meaty, a trusted servant, expressed immense relief that Shen Jin was safe and Chu Xiuming had returned in time, preventing a catastrophe. She offered to accompany Chu Xiuming to see Shen Jin, but he instructed her to remain in the mansion to avert suspicion, as Lord Liu likely had eyes on them. Meaty agreed, vowing to guard the General's Mansion in their absence.
Meanwhile, in a secluded village, Shen Jin was recuperating, dutifully drinking the bitter medicine provided by Mr. Hua. Ruonan, who was with her, assured her that Chu Xiuyuan had confirmed the city was safe, implying Chu Xiuming had returned and her mother was out of immediate danger. Shen Jin, however, still worried for her mother and the people in Prince Rui’s Mansion, though she expressed faith that Chu Xiuming would save them.
Simultaneously, Lord Liu waited impatiently in a teahouse until a subordinate arrived, not with the anticipated "lord," but with instructions to proceed with their pre-arranged plan. Back at the General's Mansion, Chu Xiuming and Chu Xiuyuan discussed their ongoing investigation into a mysterious black-clad man. Chu Xiuming revealed that a key item related to the Eighth Prince's seal seemed connected to the Sky Lantern Flower, which Ruonan was helping him investigate.
Soon after, an arrow with a coded message related to the Eighth Prince was shot into the General's Mansion. Chu Xiuming understood its meaning and, avoiding Chu Xiuyuan's suspicions, dispatched Chu Xiuyuan to pack clothes for Shen Jin and deliver them to her, emphasizing the importance of keeping Shen Jin and Ruonan's village location a secret and promising to stay in the city himself.
Chu Xiuming then went alone to a pre-arranged meeting at a bridge on the long street where Lord Liu awaited him. Lord Liu initiated the conversation by stating that the emperor had commanded him to investigate Chu Xiuming for rescuing someone and to either arrest him and execute Shen Jin, or fabricate evidence to do so. Chu Xiuming recognized this as an attempt to drive a wedge between him and the emperor.
Lord Liu claimed he was acting under duress and warned that Chu Xiuming faced severe charges for jailbreaking and personal gain, which would endanger both his and Shen Jin's lives. He then offered to help Chu Xiuming survive this predicament.
Chu Xiuming feigned disinterest in confronting the emperor, prompting Lord Liu to reveal the core of his scheme: he was an old subordinate of the Eighth Prince, who was widely expected to be the future emperor but perished in a suspicious fire, clearing the way for the current emperor's ascension. Lord Liu argued that the current emperor's claim to the throne was illegitimate and the fire at the Eighth Prince's Mansion was suspicious.
He confessed that he was too low-ranking to help the Eighth Prince then, but feared Chu Xiuming would suffer a similar fate due to his accomplishments. He proposed an alliance: Lord Liu would work to vindicate the Eighth Prince, and Chu Xiuming would ensure his family's safety. Chu Xiuming insisted he only cared for his family and had no political ambitions, labeling Lord Liu’s proposal as rebellion.
Lord Liu countered that Chu Xiuming's military prowess made him a threat to the emperor, who was determined to eliminate him, and continued loyalty would only lead to their clan’s extermination. He revealed that many of the Eighth Prince’s loyalists were still embedded within the imperial court, and with Chu Xiuming's control over the army, they could collaborate to achieve their goals. Chu Xiuming, however, demanded to meet these other supporters to verify Lord Liu's claims before committing.
Lord Liu readily agreed to arrange such a meeting to demonstrate their sincerity. Unbeknownst to Chu Xiuming, Chu Xiuyuan had followed him. After Chu Xiuming concluded his meeting with Lord Liu, Chu Xiuyuan confronted him, expressing his worry and warning him not to fall for Lord Liu's cunning. Chu Xiuming asked if Chu Xiuyuan also desired to uncover the truth behind the Eighth Prince's death. Chu Xiuyuan affirmed his desire but vehemently rejected using rebellion as a means.
Chu Xiuming, however, was resolute, stating he could not abandon the lead now that they finally had one. He reiterated his instructions for Chu Xiuyuan to care for Shen Jin, and despite Chu Xiuyuan's continued protests, departed, leaving Chu Xiuyuan to go to the village with the clothes. In the village, Shen Jin was still distressed, thinking of her mother and husband while drinking her medicine. Chu Xiuyuan arrived, looking visibly troubled, and handed her the clothes Meaty had packed.
Shen Jin, noticing his grim expression, pressed him for answers. Chu Xiuyuan reluctantly revealed that Lord Liu had approached Chu Xiuming, claiming the emperor intended to arrest him and offering to help him rebel in the Eighth Prince's name. Chu Xiuming was determined to protect Shen Jin and investigate the Eighth Prince's death.
Shen Jin, however, felt the situation hadn't escalated to warrant such extreme measures, as Prince Rui's Mansion was temporarily safe and Chu Xiuming was not in immediate danger. She wrote a letter to Chu Xiuming, urging him to reconsider, and entrusted it to Chu Xiuyuan to deliver.
Soon after, Chu Xiuming was led to a secluded courtyard, where he found not only Lord Liu but also Lord Zuo, General of Right Guard, Lord Liang, Minister of Personnel, and Lord Chen, President of the Censorate, all confirmed as loyalists of the Eighth Prince. They explained that for years they had secretly investigated the Eighth Prince’s death.
Lord Liang recounted how the Eighth Prince, at the former emperor’s command, was investigating treasury corruption and had uncovered the current emperor's involvement just before a fire engulfed the Eighth Prince’s Mansion. The arsonist was caught but committed suicide, and with the new emperor's ascension, the investigation was buried. Lord Chen corroborated the story, stating that while the Eighth Prince's influence had largely collapsed, evidence of the corruption had been preserved. Chu Xiuming demanded to see this evidence.
Lord Liu presented two account books: one presented to the current emperor, and a secret one detailing the true collusion between the current emperor and the Ministry of Revenue, revealing embezzlement from both the national treasury and army pay. Lord Liu highlighted that Chu Xiuming himself was a victim of the withheld army pay, which the emperor had secretly diverted to build a new palace.
They noted that their attempts to speak well of Chu Xiuming for his actions against the Eagles had always displeased the emperor. They showed Chu Xiuming ledgers detailing actual army pay allocations versus secret records proving the funds were used for the new palace. Chu Xiuming questioned why they hadn't acted sooner, despite having witnesses and Lord Zuo's command over capital troops.
They explained that the emperor had intentionally fragmented military power in the capital, rendering Lord Zuo's individual strength insufficient. They admitted they had been waiting for someone of Chu Xiuming's stature, whom they now considered their "pawn," though they quickly clarified that their alliance would be mutually beneficial. Chu Xiuming, however, did not immediately commit, instead listening as they began to discuss their specific plans.
Back at the General's Mansion, Chu Xiuyuan delivered Shen Jin's letter and a safe buckle to Chu Xiuming. He also relayed Ruonan's confirmation that the Eagles' Sky Lantern Flower was indeed the Phoenix Flower. Chu Xiuming asked Chu Xiuyuan to have Ruonan further investigate who in the Imperial City cultivated this plant. In her letter, Shen Jin admitted she had forced Chu Xiuyuan to reveal Chu Xiuming’s plans.
She pleaded with him not to act rashly, whether for the Eighth Prince’s cause or for her and Prince Rui’s Mansion. She argued that if he were to be branded a traitor, she and his family would not be able to continue living. She asked him to personally return the safe buckle to her, a gesture symbolizing their shared fate: if he were to be harmed, she and their child would die with him.
Chu Xiuming recognized the safe buckle as his aunt’s – Chu Xiuyuan’s mother’s – given to him before Chu Xiuyuan was born. His aunt had told him it symbolized a man’s benevolence, protecting his family and the vulnerable, and he was meant to give it to his beloved to keep her safe. Now, Shen Jin's returning it signaled her deep concern and a desperate warning that his current path deviated from his mission, and that she would share his fate.
Despite Chu Xiuyuan’s pleas for him to stop, Chu Xiuming insisted he had a plan and would explain everything once it was resolved. Chu Xiuyuan remained troubled by his brother's resolve and Shen Jin's distress. Later that night, Chu Xiuyuan skillfully created a diversion, allowing Chu Xiuming to slip away and visit Shen Jin in the village.
Inside the humble dwelling, Ruonan was chatting with Shen Jin about the fabric store's booming business since their merger, though she noted the palace had mysteriously halted purchases. Ruonan assured Shen Jin that the business was publicly known to be hers alone, protecting Shen Jin from any implication. As Chu Xiuming arrived, he immediately returned the safe buckle to Shen Jin. Shen Jin, deeply worried, warned him that Lord Liu was cunning and his intentions suspicious.
Chu Xiuming, however, dismissed her concerns, stating he had a plan and that everyone would be safe in the end. Shen Jin pressed him, pointing out that his current actions were reckless and unlike the Chu Xiuming she knew. She even questioned if Lord Liu held some leverage over him. Chu Xiuming denied it and asked for a few more days.
Growing desperate, Shen Jin directly asked if he truly intended to rebel and begged him to leave with her to a place where they were unknown and could live happily. Chu Xiuming reaffirmed his promise to save her mother and Prince Rui's Mansion, but Shen Jin argued his current approach was not the right way. She pleaded with him, for her sake, for their unborn child, for Chu Xiuyuan, and for everyone's well-being, to abandon his dangerous course.
Chu Xiuming simply told her to stay safe and remain in the village. Shen Jin then delivered an ultimatum: if he left that night, she would immediately confess everything to the emperor. Chu Xiuming accused her of being defiant, but she retorted that he was treating rebellion as a trivial matter. He tried to leave, but Shen Jin, panicking, tried to open the locked door, reminding him of her ability to pick any lock.
Chu Xiuming, unable to change her mind, entrusted Shen Jin to Ruonan, instructing her to keep Shen Jin confined to the village, promising a heavy reward for her help. Chu Xiuming then departed hurriedly, leaving Shen Jin distraught and clutching the safe buckle, while Ruonan tried to calm her, reminding her of her pregnancy and the danger of soldiers searching for her.
Later, Shen Jin, still worried, handed Chu Xiuyuan two items, asking him to deliver them personally to Chu Xiuming, conveying that her worry for her husband mirrored his worry for his brother.
