Legend of the Female General Episode 13 Recap
> Legend of the Female General Recap
He Yan woke up after being unconscious, and found Xiao Jue was still by her side. Mr. Shen requested an audience with Xiao Jue, seeking punishment for his hesitation during the recent crisis, which led to the deaths of several new recruits at the hands of Hu Yuanzhong and Lei Hou. He Yan, pretending to be asleep, defended Mr. Shen, asserting that he had fulfilled his duties and the blame lay with Hu Yuanzhong's cunning and Lei Hou's deceit.
Mr. Shen mentioned He Yan had given him a defense layout. Xiao Jue took the map from Mr. Shen and dismissed him. Still feigning sleep, He Yan was prompted by Xiao Jue to explain the defense layout. She claimed she drew it while imprisoned on false charges, concerned for Yezhou Garrison's safety in Xiao Jue's absence, and had Miss Song deliver it. She boasted about her perfect memory and innate talent.
Xiao Jue, however, knew she was lying but didn't press the issue directly. He Yan then boldly requested a reward for helping resolve the Yezhou Garrison's crisis, specifically asking to join the battalion. Xiao Jue agreed, stating that her skills qualified her, not her fabricated stories. He expressed his suspicion about a woman of her unusual competence joining the Yezhou Garrison as a new recruit, believing her secrets would eventually be revealed.
He Yan playfully dismissed his doubts, attributing their connection to fate. Later, Cheng Lisu visited He Yan, calling her "dear Miss He," which He Yan quickly told him to stop. Cheng Lisu, already aware of her circumstances, pressed her for the full story. He Yan concocted a tale of being a city official's daughter who had to flee home and disguise herself as a man to escape a local bully, eventually joining the military out of desperation.
She implored Cheng Lisu to keep her secret. Cheng Lisu assured her of his trust before leaving, privately musing that Xiao Jue was destined for a fall. After recovering from her injuries, Xiao Jue took He Yan to the dungeon to interrogate Lei Hou. Xiao Jue revealed that Lei Hou's forged identity had been discovered during the investigation into He Yan. Inside the dungeon, Lei Hou was initially defiant and refused to speak.
Xiao Jue then produced a silver longevity lock, causing Lei Hou to break down. Lei Hou pleaded with Xiao Jue to spare his younger brother, who knew nothing, offering to accept any punishment, even death, in exchange for his brother's freedom. Xiao Jue calmly told him that as a death warrior, he should have anticipated such consequences and hidden his family more effectively. He then demanded Lei Hou reveal everything he knew.
Lei Hou confessed that he was originally from Que City. After the devastating flood, which destroyed his home and left him and his dying younger brother desperate, they encountered Hu Yuanzhong. Hu Yuanzhong claimed to be a Liehe merchant whose family had perished in Que City and sought revenge. Consumed by hatred, Lei Hou immediately agreed to join him. Hu Yuanzhong then helped Lei Hou forge an identity to enlist in Yezhou Garrison.
Lei Hou confirmed that he sought to join the battalion to get close to Xiao Jue, but He Yan's formidable abilities stood in his way, leading him to bribe Zheng Xuan to kill her. Recently, Hu Yuanzhong had contacted Rida Muzi and the Liehe forces to orchestrate a coordinated attack, and he had come to the barracks to inform Lei Hou of the plan.
Lei Hou admitted that these intricate operations were beyond a simple Liehe commoner like Hu Yuanzhong, indicating a more powerful, ambitious mastermind was behind him. Although he knew he was being used, he didn't care as long as he achieved his revenge. He stated he had never met the mastermind; Hu Yuanzhong had always been the intermediary. Xiao Jue brought Lei Hou's younger brother to the dungeon, and the brothers had an emotional reunion.
Feinu explained they had traced the brother's whereabouts and that Xiao Jue had ensured his well-being. Despite the reunion, Lei Hou accused Xiao Jue of his unforgivable actions during the flood. Xiao Jue acknowledged that he never sought forgiveness and knew that some crimes would haunt him forever from the moment he gave the fateful order. Xiao Jue allowed Lei Hou and his brother to leave Yezhou Garrison unharmed.
As Lei Hou departed, he gave Xiao Jue an encrypted communication from Hu Yuanzhong, stating that his act of vengeance had settled their score. Xiao Jue retorted that Lei Hou still owed many others. He Yan later asked Xiao Jue about the battle in Que City. He explained that a general on the battlefield must make decisive, often grim, choices. He recounted the night of the unprecedented torrential downpour.
The Wutuo army, numbering thirty thousand, was resting inside Que City, unaware of Xiao Jue's mere three thousand troops outside. With direct confrontation being highly unfavorable, Xiao Jue proposed releasing reservoir water during the downpour to wipe out the Wutuo forces. He confirmed that nearby civilian villages, ten li away, would be safe if the rain didn't worsen. He ordered immediate evacuation of the villagers and deployed rescue teams on standby.
However, the rain intensified dramatically, and the uncontrolled floodwaters swept through the villages, drowning many. Xiao Jue lamented that with only three thousand men, he had no other choice, and the decision felt like sending his own troops to their deaths. He expressed his enduring pain, stating, "I didn't kill them, but they died because of me."
He shared that in his past suffering, he longed for someone to comfort him but had no one, so he wished He Yan would have that solace. He then stated he felt better. He Yan comforted Xiao Jue by embracing him. Later, Cheng Lisu chastised Xiao Jue, noting that He Yan's old and new injuries were not fully healed, yet she had been exposed to the cold for an extended period, causing her to relapse.
He urged Xiao Jue to show more compassion. He Yan defended Xiao Jue, saying she was getting better. Cheng Lisu then left to prepare her medicine. Meanwhile, Feinu reported that Hu Yuanzhong's encrypted text remained indecipherable. He Yan, noticing a faint bitter taste on the paper, simultaneously suggested, along with Xiao Jue, bringing a bowl of ginger soup.
He Yan explained that the front of the note was written in ink, while the back was written with alum solution, which disappears when dry and reappears when soaked in ginger soup. She vaguely claimed to have read about it in a book. The revealed message read: "Hai hour on the 5th of the 8th lunar month, same place, Cimu."
Xiao Jue explained that this method of using alum solution for secret messages was devised by his father, Xiao Zhongwu, and was only known to those close to him. He pressed He Yan on how she knew this. Xiao Jue deduced that "Cimu" was part of the character for "Chai." He recalled his father's long-serving deputy general, Chai Anxi, who was believed to have died with Xiao Zhongwu at the Mingshui Battlefield.
Given this unique method and Chai Anxi's deep knowledge of the Xiao Army, Xiao Jue suspected Chai Anxi might have faked his death, suggesting his potential involvement in the defeat at Mingshui. He concluded that they must find Chai Anxi. Unbeknownst to them, Chu Zhao was observing their progress. He remarked that the agent he had planted was exposed quickly, attributing it to the ineffectiveness of Lei Hou and the Liehe tribe.
He then revealed that the real agent was someone else. A flashback showed Chu Zhao finding Chai Anxi wounded and weak in Que City after the flood, shadowing a troop. Chu Zhao ordered his men to rescue him. When Chai Anxi thanked him, Chu Zhao noticed a dagger engraved with "Xiao," recognizing him as a member of the Xiao Army. Chu Zhao questioned why Chai Anxi, despite his age, had not rejoined the Xiao Army stationed in the city. Chai Anxi firmly stated that he was no deserter.
