Legend of the Female General Episode 4 Recap
> Legend of the Female General Recap
In the aftermath of He Yan's victory in the new recruit competition, Cheng Lisu informed her that not only he but also an anonymous individual had bet on her to win, speculating it was either Huang Xiong or Mai. He Yan, however, was preoccupied with her ambition to join the Jiuqi Camp.
Cheng Lisu expressed confusion and concern, pointing out that the Jiuqi Camp was known for its perilous missions alongside Xiao Jue, and he couldn't understand why she would seek such a dangerous assignment. Later, He Yan approached Xiao Jue's tent with a cup of tea to express her gratitude for his guidance. When Xiao Jue declined the tea, He Yan opened a cage, offering "night snacks" instead.
The cage was filled with dry flatbreads, and He Yan immediately realized that the anonymous person Cheng Lisu had mentioned—the one who bet on her—was none other than Xiao Jue, indicating his confidence in her. She then playfully asked if she qualified to join the Jiuqi Camp. Xiao Jue responded that merely winning against two recruits was insufficient for entry into the Jiuqi Camp, but he promised to evaluate her properly.
Instructor Shen Han then announced that the new recruits, having trained for over a month, would participate in a Flag Contest before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Fifteen flags would be placed across Mount Baiyue, and teams would be formed. The team that collected the most flags within the allotted time would win double military merits and double their monthly pay. However, Shen Han stated that before the contest, teams were required to patrol the mountains.
He then assigned Zheng Xuan, Jiang Jiao, Wang Ba, He Yan, and Mai to one team, with He Yan as their captain, ordering them to begin mountain patrols the next day. During the patrol, Wang Ba and Zheng Xuan complained about the bland flatbreads. Disregarding He Yan's instructions and the instructor's ban on crossing the mountain ridge, they ventured off to find exotic fruits or wild game. They soon encountered a pack of wolves.
Zheng Xuan, panicking, ran back for help, while Wang Ba was injured. He Yan, acting swiftly, told Mai and Jiang Jiao to return to camp for assistance while she went to rescue Wang Ba. She reached Wang Ba, put him on a horse, and instructed him to ride back to camp, staying behind to confront the wolves alone. During the struggle, she fell into a hidden pit. He Yan's left arm was bitten by a wolf.
She quickly removed the binding from her chest to tie around the wound. Meanwhile, Zheng Xuan, back at camp, released all the horses and falsely accused He Yan of desertion, claiming He Yan had urged others to flee with him over the mountain. However, Wang Ba, Mai, and Jiang Jiao soon returned, exposing Zheng Xuan's lies. Seeing no one immediately volunteering to rescue He Yan, Wang Ba, despite his injury, prepared to go, only to be stopped by Xiao Jue.
Recognizing the mountain's complex and treacherous terrain, Xiao Jue decided to personally undertake the rescue. It was the Qixi Festival, and He Yan was huddled in the pit, using the body of a dead wolf for warmth, awaiting an unknown rescue. Suddenly, Xiao Jue's voice echoed from above. With his characteristic stern demeanor but underlying concern, he knew He Yan could not climb out herself, so he lowered a vine to pull her up.
Despite his usual fastidiousness, Xiao Jue allowed the blood-stained He Yan to ride his horse. Under the crescent moon, this Qixi Festival became unforgettable for He Yan. Exhausted from fighting the wolf, she fell asleep on Xiao Jue's back. Xiao Jue immediately detected she was a woman, a shocking revelation. True to his strict military discipline, Xiao Jue ordered Zheng Xuan's execution for betraying his comrades. Cheng Lisu informed He Yan, expecting her to find the punishment cruel.
To his surprise, He Yan expressed understanding of Xiao Jue's reasoning, explaining that military rules are inviolable and that such harsh measures are necessary to deter disloyalty and instill discipline, especially given the Yezhou Garrison's current state. Xiao Jue, who overheard her insightful remarks, showed little reaction, simply tossing a precious healing ointment to He Yan for her wound and instructing Cheng Lisu not to force He Yan to undress.
Cheng Lisu then mentioned that Xiao Jue had only given this particular healing ointment to two people: He Rufei and He Yan. Separately, He Rufei sought an audience with Chancellor Xu Jingfu, who declined the meeting and instead had Chu Zhao entertain him. He Rufei, unable to meet Xu Jingfu, soon departed, leaving behind a rare hydraulics manuscript. Afterward, Xu Jingfu asked Chu Zhao for his assessment of He Rufei.
Chu Zhao candidly stated that He Rufei did not live up to his reputation but noted his personal guard was exceptionally skilled. Chu Zhao proposed that if He Rufei and his guard could be brought into the Yezhou Garrison, it would serve a dual purpose: countering Xiao Jue and addressing issues with Magistrate Sun Xiangfu, who, though a disciple of Xu Jingfu, had grown too ambitious. Xu Jingfu agreed to Chu Zhao's plan.
It was revealed that Chu Linfeng, though publicly acknowledged as Chu Zhao's father, was in fact his uncle. Chu Zhao's birth mother was the eldest daughter of the Chu family, who bore him out of wedlock. To prevent scandal, Chu Linfeng claimed Chu Zhao as his son. Because of this, Chu Linfeng's wife frequently mocked and ridiculed Chu Zhao. Meanwhile, investigations into He Yan's identity continued for a long time, yielding no discrepancies in her military records.
Xiao Jue concluded that the individual assisting He Yan in concealing her true identity must be someone extraordinary. He described it as an "unexpected lead" and ordered continued investigation into her background.
