Legend of the Female General Episode 23 Recap
> Legend of the Female General Recap
Xiao Jue walked past He Yan, seemingly not acknowledging her, and He Yan, after respectfully bowing, remained silent. Back in his tent, Xiao Jue appeared thoughtful. Spotting He Yan passing by the door, he suddenly ordered Feinu to personally go to Yaojing to investigate He Rufei. Feinu was to not only look into He Rufei's actions before the Mingshui battle but also to closely monitor his every move.
He Yan knew Mr. Jiang, an escort agent, had extensive connections and hoped he could help her with an inquiry. She wanted to know who had visited Miss He, He Rufei's younger sister, while she was recovering in the rear courtyard of Yuhua Temple. Mr. Jiang assured her that as a friend and given the escort agents' rule of not asking questions, he would take care of it.
He Yan believed that if He Rufei and Xu Jingfu had conspired, Yuhua Temple would have been their secret meeting place before the Mingshui battle, and Mr. Jiang's information would confirm this. While this might not directly prove He Rufei's involvement in the Mingshui scheme, it would at least show Xiao Jue the possibility. He Yan resolved to continually hone her skills and bide her time for the opportune moment.
In Yaojing, He Rufei heard that Yezhou Garrison had produced a formidable female general who single-handedly killed Wutuo's commander, Huyate, during the Jiyang battle. A strange intuition arose within him, making him suspect this person might be He Yan. Although she was thought to be dead, he decided it was better to be safe than sorry and resolved that whether it was He Yan or not, she had to die.
Meanwhile, He Yan trained rigorously every day in Yezhou Garrison, even increasing her intensity. Wang Ba and others observed her, noticing her inner turmoil, but did not press her for details, worrying that she was tormenting herself. Chu Zhao visited Xu Jingfu. Knowing Chu Zhao had uncovered his secret, Xu Jingfu initially intended to silence him, having assassins hidden in the room. However, Chu Zhao, deeply cunning, chose to reveal everything to gain Xu Jingfu's trust.
He confessed that Chai Anxi had told Xiao Jue the truth about Mingshui: that He Rufei was instructed to suppress Xiao Zhongwu's plea for aid. Chu Zhao then proposed informing He Rufei about Xiao Jue's knowledge. He also suggested exploiting Xiao Jue's unauthorized departure from Yezhou by promoting the young officer under Xiao Jue who performed remarkably in Jiyang. This would cause discontent among Xiao's veteran troops, ultimately leading to Xiao Jue being charged with incompetence by the Emperor.
Chu Zhao emphasized his loyalty, stating he wished to be Xu Jingfu's most trusted confidant and would protect Xu Jingfu with his life. This display of allegiance led Xu Jingfu to temporarily abandon his plan to kill Chu Zhao. He Rufei rushed into Xu's mansion upon hearing that Xiao Jue had gained more military merits.
He expressed his alarm at Xiao Jue's renewed influence, but Xu Jingfu remained calm, reassuring him that Chai Anxi was dead and would not pose a threat. Xu Jingfu, however, warned He Rufei to be extremely careful and avoid leaving any evidence, as He Rufei was the one who had contacted Chai Anxi. He Rufei proposed using a similar tactic to the one employed against Xiao Zhongwu to frame Xiao Jue, but Xu Jingfu offered no firm commitment.
Leaving the mansion, He Rufei decided against revealing He Yan's existence to Xu Jingfu, fearing he would be made a scapegoat, as he believed Xu Jingfu had already begun to distance himself from the Mingshui affair. He Rufei then devised a plan to lure He Yan to Rundu and kill her there, leveraging her deep bond with the Eight Warriors of the Fuyue Army, seven of whom now served under him, with the eighth commanding the Rundu Garrison.
He reasoned that even if the general in Jiyang wasn't He Yan, eliminating the Eight Warriors would still benefit him, and his plan could also inadvertently lead to Xiao Jue's demise. Cheng Lisu was curious about the awkward silence between Xiao Jue and He Yan, pestering Xiao Jue for answers. He suggested that Xiao Jue, despite his military brilliance, was clueless in romantic matters and that his increasing coldness would make He Yan feel abandoned.
Xiao Jue, however, simply dismissed it as none of Cheng Lisu's business. Meanwhile, Mr. Jiang had completed his investigation for He Yan. He reported that Miss He in Yuhua Temple had lived reclusively, and apart from her parents, had only met one unexpected visitor: Chancellor Xu Jingfu. Xu Jingfu and Miss He had spent time together in the meditation room, playing chess. Upon hearing this, He Yan's anger flared, confirming her suspicions.
She threw herself into her training with even greater ferocity, so much so that splintered wood from a broken training dummy cut her face. She paid no mind to the injury, a sight Xiao Jue observed clearly from an upper floor. Later, after He Yan had fallen asleep, Xiao Jue quietly approached her, gently placed a bottle of wound medicine beside her, and carefully tucked in her blanket.
Though he appeared to ignore her during the day, he was constantly watching over her. The next morning, He Yan awoke to find the medicine, instinctively knowing it was Xiao Jue's doing. Subsequently, Chu Zhao was promoted to Director of the Ministry of War, and the Emperor ordered Yan He to accompany him to Yezhou Garrison.
In court, Chu Zhao had subtly brought up the brave young officer under Xiao Jue who single-handedly killed Huyate in Jiyang, recommending her for a higher position. He also used the opportunity to request a higher position for himself, asserting that a minister needs both loyalty and real power to serve the Emperor effectively. The Emperor, swayed by Chu Zhao's reasoning, agreed to both promotions. Soon after, an urgent military report arrived from Huayuan.
He Yan, upon hearing that Wutuo forces were attacking Huayuan, suspected it was merely a probing action, with their true intention being to reignite the war. She was then surprised to hear that He Rufei would be leading the defense of Huayuan.
