General's Lady Episode 30 (Ending) Recap
> General's Lady Recap
As his servants were arrested, Chu Xiuming rushed to Lord Situ's mansion through the rain, frantically searching for Shen Jin. He questioned the soldiers, who confirmed they had found no one locked up. Chu Xiuming entered the study, finding nothing. Realizing the urgency, he and Xiao Su split up to search the rest of the mansion. Meanwhile, deep within Lord Situ's secret study, Shen Jin was partially submerged in quicksand, desperately trying to clear the sand from around herself.
She continuously whispered to her unborn child, assuring it that its father would find them and encouraging it not to give up, clinging to the hope of their survival. Chu Xiuming later confronted Lord Situ in prison, who appeared relaxed and unbothered by his incarceration. Lord Situ taunted Chu Xiuming, recalling that Shen Jin had come to the city gate to find him that day, implying Chu Xiuming was tricked into running around while she was abducted.
Xiao Su intervened, warning Chu Xiuming not to fall for Situ's provocations. He then threatened Lord Situ, vowing to take his entire family's lives if General's Lady was harmed. Lord Situ merely scoffed, reiterating that he was a villain and righteous gentlemen like them would never stoop to such acts. In a nearby cell, Prince Rui's Lady expressed concern upon hearing of Shen Jin's disappearance, though she affirmed her belief that Chu Xiuming would find her.
Side Concubine Chen also showed worry. However, Shen Zi cruelly remarked that Shen Jin deserved her fate, sarcastically questioning if the "Countess Yongning" was not "impeccable" or "all-powerful." Chu Xiuming angrily retorted that Shen Jin had returned to the capital to plead guilty and assume all blame to save the Prince Rui's family, which was why Lord Situ seized her. He questioned Shen Zi's maliciousness toward her own sister.
Prince Rui then urged Chu Xiuming not to waste time, pressing him to find Shen Jin quickly. Chu Xiuming surmised that Lord Situ would not have personally abducted Shen Jin from the city gate. Xiao Su rounded up several of Lord Situ's subordinates, pushing them toward the chopping block for interrogation. However, they all insisted they knew nothing of Shen Jin's whereabouts, even facing death.
Chu Xiuming then remembered Commander Yun, who might know something, but was told Commander Yun was away from the palace due to personal matters. By the time Chu Xiuming located Commander Yun's residence, the man was already dead. With no other leads, Chu Xiuming realized that Lord Situ was likely the only one who knew Shen Jin's location. Lord Situ ominously declared that Shen Jin would perish by nightfall, with only about an hour remaining until then.
Desperate, Chu Xiuming returned to the prison and knelt before Lord Situ, begging him to reveal Shen Jin's whereabouts. Lord Situ, nearing death and mentally unstable, delighted in Chu Xiuming's suffering. He refused to let Chu Xiuming die quickly, instead wanting him to live a lifetime of remorse and regret, knowing his woman would die in a dark, unknown hole, tortured by fear.
As Situ laughed maniacally, Chu Xiuming suddenly recalled Shen Jin's casual remark during their first visit to Lord Situ's mansion, when she playfully wondered if a certain floorboard in his study concealed a secret room. Lord Situ's stunned expression confirmed his suspicion. Chu Xiuming rushed back to Lord Situ's study, frantically searching for a mechanism. He eventually discovered a heavy four-ram-headed bronze wine vessel that served as the switch.
As he turned it, the floorboards beneath him opened, and he fell into the secret room, landing right in front of Shen Jin. The floorboards then closed above them, leaving Xiao Su in a panic as he tried in vain to find the switch from outside. Chu Xiuming assured Shen Jin that they would escape once Xiao Su found the mechanism, but Shen Jin worried if Xiao Su might fall in as well.
She urged Chu Xiuming to stop trying to dig them out, as it only made him sink deeper. Time, like the sand around them, continued to flow. Chu Xiuming grew despondent, realizing that not only had he failed to rescue Shen Jin, but he was now trapped alongside her. He began desperately scooping sand away from Shen Jin and towards himself. Shen Jin, heartbroken by his self-reproach, stopped him.
She asked if he remembered the three conditions she made him promise when she first married him. The first two were long fulfilled. For the third, she insisted that no matter the circumstances, they must always be together, even in death. Chu Xiuming's calm facade shattered, and he frantically dug at the sand, refusing to watch her die. Shen Jin tenderly stroked his face, comforting him like a child.
She reassured him that everything was not lost; they were together, and their child was with them too. Eventually, they were rescued from the collapsing pit. In the Golden Hall, the Emperor and the Eighth Prince playfully bickered over who should assume the throne. The Eighth Prince argued that the Emperor's governance was popular and that the Emperor had saved Chu Xiuyuan, his son.
The Emperor, in turn, listed his sixteen years of arduous rule and how he had diligently sought the person who harmed the Eighth Prince. Both tried to shirk the responsibility, with the Eighth Prince preferring to tend to his plants. Ultimately, the Emperor declared there was a more suitable candidate right before them: Chu Xiuyuan. He lauded Chu Xiuyuan as a righteous and upstanding man from the Shen family, capable of shouldering the responsibility of governing the nation.
Chu Xiuyuan, also known by his given name An'er, expressed reluctance, but the Emperor and Eighth Prince insisted, ultimately guiding him to the throne. At the Brocade Splendor shop, Shen Zi and Shen Jing argued over a new piece of fabric, prompting them to seek Shen Jin's judgment. Shen Jin gently mediated, suggesting that Shen Zi, as the older sister, should let Shen Jing have it this time, promising to reserve new fabric for both of them in the future.
Shen Zi still protested, asking Shen Jin, their "Big Sister," to side with her. Shen Jin playfully chided her younger sisters for bickering like children despite being married women, causing them all to laugh. The four daughters of Prince Rui's Mansion were now closer than ever. The Eighth Prince, now back to his preferred life as a gardener, spent his days tending flowers and plants in Ruonan's village.
The villagers spoke with pride of the current Emperor and Empress, particularly Empress Ruonan, who hailed from their village. They praised her for her benevolence, unifying various escort agencies across the land, which fostered prosperity and eliminated past rivalries. Children in the village recited new poems, depicting a harmonious world where everyone could enjoy themselves and seek peace. Back at the General's Mansion, Mammy Qingqiu brought out all of General's Lady's personal belongings.
Chu Xiuming and Shen Jin were preparing to move back to the frontier, the place where they had fallen in love and lived freely. Leopard Head, however, was distraught, protesting that this move meant his Xiao Cong would have to stay in the capital with the pregnant Meaty. He worried about the pain of separation from Xiao Cong and feared Xiao Cong might be tempted to stay in the bustling capital.
Meaty, hearing this, came out and jokingly agreed that Xiao Cong should stay with her, citing that Leopard Head had once suspected her of being a spy. She playfully declared that she would have more babies to ensure Xiao Cong stayed in the capital forever. The Emperor and Empress, Ruonan, arrived in casual attire to send them off.
Chu Xiuming urged the Emperor to revoke the decree, citing Shen Jin's advanced pregnancy and the arduous journey, suggesting she remain in the capital. Shen Jin, however, insisted on going. Empress Ruonan reassured her, highlighting that the General's Mansion had no concubines, implying Chu Xiuming would always be hers. Prince Rui's family also arrived.
Prince Rui stammered, unable to fully express his wishes, leaving Prince Rui's Lady to advise Shen Jin to be extremely careful during the long journey, given her pregnancy. Side Concubine Chen also offered her own trivial advice. Suddenly, Shen Jin gasped, realizing she might not make it back to the frontier after all. Her baby did not want her to leave; she was going into labor. The mansion erupted into chaos.
Chu Xiuming immediately scooped Shen Jin into his arms and carried her inside. People frantically called for the imperial doctor and midwives. Prince Rui swelled with pride, exclaiming that marrying Shen Jin to Chu Xiuming had been a truly wise decision, proving he wasn't as foolish as some thought. His wife quickly urged him to hurry and follow them inside.
Later, it was said that on the training grounds at the frontier, the Great General Chu Xiuming personally instructed a young boy. With a firm voice, he declared, "Men ought to be ambitious. Protecting the country is our mission!" The small figure below stood rigidly, repeating the motto in a tender, childish voice, "Men ought to be ambitious. Protecting the country is our mission!"
