Legend of the Female General Episode 16 Recap
> Legend of the Female General Recap
A mission was issued to eliminate Chai Anxi, who is currently residing in Jiyang. In Jiyang, Cheng Lisu led Xiao Jue and He Yan to Xiuluo Boutique, the largest clothing store in the city, known for its fashionable attire and accessories. Song Taotao was also present but went to a nearby medicine shop.
Cheng Lisu explained that Xiao Jue, referred to as "Huaijin," had specifically asked him to find the place, emphasizing the importance of dressing impeccably for the banquet attended by Jiyang's elite to establish their standing. Song Taotao also urged He Yan to ask Xiao Jue to buy her a beautiful dress. Inside the boutique, Xiao Jue encouraged He Yan to choose any dress she liked. Soon after, Yan Min'er, daughter of Censor Yan Ling, entered the store.
She initially made eye contact with Xiao Jue, dropped her handkerchief, and approached. However, upon hearing Xiao Jue refer to He Yan as his wife, Yan Min'er's demeanor changed. She then deliberately began to counter He Yan’s choices, claiming every dress He Yan expressed interest in, including a lotus-pink peony dress and a heavenly fragrance dress.
He Yan attempted to diffuse the situation by playfully suggesting she had picked those dresses for Yan Min'er, but Yan Min'er became infuriated, questioning if He Yan knew her identity. He Yan retorted that while she didn't know Yan Min'er, her apparent lack of proper upbringing, despite her wealth, was evident. Xiao Jue then intervened, directly asking He Yan what had transpired and stating he only trusted her account.
He dismissed Yan Min'er, then requested the store's prized mermaid-silk celestial gown be brought out for He Yan. The shop owner explained the gown's rare fabric, sourced from an overseas merchant, and its unique detachable shawl, which was steeped in alchemical solutions, making it impenetrable to water and fire for protection.
When the price was revealed to be a hundred taels, Yan Min'er's maid cautioned her, fearing her father's severe punishment if she were to spend such a sum on a single garment. However, Xiao Jue, without hesitation, purchased the gown for He Yan, stating that pleasing his wife was well worth the cost.
After He Yan confirmed the gown looked beautiful, Xiao Jue pointedly told Yan Min'er to settle her bill, ironically commenting on the small scale of the shop compared to her family's vast fortune. Later, at Cui Yuezhi's banquet, the attendees discussed the perceived tardiness and lack of etiquette of Cui Yuezhi's nephew and niece-in-law, who were said to be from Wuzhou.
When Xiao Jue, disguised as Qiao Huanqing, and He Yan, disguised as Wen Yuyan, arrived, Cui Yuezhi introduced them, expressing his pleasure at their reunion. Yan Min'er, observing them, remarked on Qiao Huanqing's handsome and refined appearance but expressed her strong dislike for his wife, Wen Yuyan, vowing to put her in her place. During the meal, He Yan, playing her role, feigned delicacy and asked Xiao Jue to serve her soup.
Yan Min'er openly criticized Wen Yuyan, calling her too fragile and overly dependent on her husband, and accused her of using her looks to be a temptress. He Yan inwardly wondered if Yan Min'er was attracted to her instead of Xiao Jue, while Xiao Jue humorously attributed Yan Min'er's anger to He Yan's previous triumph at the boutique. He Yan complained that Xiao Jue's "snide remarks" had fueled Yan Min'er's fury, leading to potential future trouble.
Amidst the tension, Xiu, celebrated as Jiyang's most talented lady, performed a zither piece, which was met with great applause. Afterward, Xiu and Yan Min'er challenged He Yan, requesting she display her famed zither skills from Wuzhou. He Yan, feeling cornered, quietly pleaded with Xiao Jue for help. Initially reluctant, Xiao Jue eventually interceded, stating that he and his wife had a sacred vow that her exceptional zither skills were reserved only for his ears.
However, he offered to play in her stead. Cui Yuezhi, surprised and delighted that his nephew possessed such refined talent, prepared to provide a zither, but Xiao Jue produced his own – the very instrument He Yan had given him. Xiao Jue's performance captivated the entire assembly, his music leaving everyone spellbound. Even He Yan couldn't help but admire his unmatched talent and appearance.
Xiao Jue, with humility, claimed his skills were a mere fraction of his wife's, which He Yan, playing along, confirmed, praising her husband's doting nature. Cui Yuezhi, visibly moved, remarked on Xiao Jue's resemblance to his late elder brother, recalling holding him as a baby before he went missing. Cui Yuezhi then spoke of the upcoming Start of Spring and Jiyang's Water God Festival, urging Xiao Jue and He Yan to enjoy the festivities.
He Yan casually mentioned that her birthday fell just a few days after the Start of Spring, a coincidence Cui Yuezhi found delightful, insisting Xiao Jue must celebrate her birthday grandly. Shortly after, Cui Yuezhi called He Yan aside and led her to the garden where several noble ladies of Jiyang were waiting, eager to hear her zither playing. He Yan, though initially disinclined to engage in traditional arts, offered to share something more "entertaining."
From a distance, Feinu worried that He Yan would be overwhelmed by the noble ladies, but Xiao Jue confidently asserted that He Yan was more than capable, though he conceded that harsh words could be more damaging than physical harm. He Yan, with an exaggerated flair, declared her and her husband's profound love, humorously portraying herself as temperamental and her husband as the devoted one who appeased her every whim, even cooking for her and buying her gifts.
She boasted that such an exceptional man doted solely on her. Xiao Jue, having arrived and overheard her, quipped that she was truly full of nonsense but also seemed amused, deciding to stay and hear more. He Yan then launched into her "art of taming a husband," claiming she met Xiao Jue at the Lantern Festival, and he proposed the very next day, threatening to hang himself if she refused.
She married him as a "good deed," attributing it to the "persistent suitor" phenomenon. She advised the noble ladies that the key to taming a man was to love him but never lose oneself, advocating for equality and self-care in relationships. She even claimed she never tried to fawn over Xiao Jue, yet he treasured her like a jewel. Yan Min'er interrupted, accusing He Yan of spouting vulgar nonsense and disregarding the traditional "three obediences and four virtues" for women.
He Yan countered that equality and mutual respect were paramount, asserting that women should not be confined to domestic life but should seek broader horizons by "traveling ten thousand miles and reading ten thousand books," even reading books typically meant for men. She boasted of her eclectic knowledge and even claimed to have studied "images" with her husband.
When the noble ladies eagerly pressed for clarification, He Yan began to say "avoiding fire," but Xiao Jue quickly cut her off, redirecting her to simply "images" before swiftly escorting her away. He Yan later apologized to Xiao Jue, expressing her confusion over why Jiyang women still clung to outdated norms despite being governed by a Princess, though she conceded that centuries of confinement made overnight change difficult.
Xiao Jue, teasingly, blamed her, saying she caused trouble by relying on her beauty. He then offered her food, noting that she seemed too preoccupied with the arguments at the banquet to eat properly. He also playfully questioned her earlier claim about her birthday falling after the Start of Spring, recalling her conscription record stated it was in the summer, to which He Yan admitted she made it up to potentially gain gifts from Cui Yuezhi.
Meanwhile, Feinu reported to Xiao Jue that Chai Anxi's whereabouts had been discovered. Xiao Jue instructed Feinu to proceed without him, fearing He Yan's disguise would arouse suspicion. Feinu and his men searched, inquiring about a forty-something man with a limp. Not long after, a fire erupted at Cuiwei Pavilion, a local jewelry shop. While the owner and workers escaped, a new accountant, described as having mobility issues, tragically perished.
Xiao Jue immediately suspected foul play, asserting that the body could not be Chai Anxi and that the fire was likely a diversion to fake his death, especially given Chai Anxi's injured state and the tightening security in Jiyang. He urged Feinu to quickly locate Chai Anxi, noting that Chu Zhao was also actively seeking him, emphasizing the need to act first. As Feinu prepared to enter the burned building, he noticed Chu Zhao's men already at the scene.
Xiao Jue, having learned enough, decided against entering, concluding that Chai Anxi was cunning and the fire was merely a smokescreen. Separately, Chu Zhao was being discreetly followed. His tracker abruptly attacked him but then inexplicably fled after seeing a jade pendant on Chu Zhao. Chu Zhao identified the attacker as a Wutuo person due to their use of weapons fashioned from bones.
He pondered why a Wutuo individual would be involved with Chai Anxi, yet inexplicably spare his own life. He instructed his men to maintain surveillance on Xiao Jue's group and to strike first when the moment was right. Separately, while investigating, Feinu peered through a crack and observed Chai Anxi's hiding place, indicating he was very close to apprehending him.
