Legend of the Female General Episode 8 Recap
> Legend of the Female General Recap
Chu Zhao, the Inspector from the Ministry of War, arrived at the Sun Mansion to address issues concerning the Yezhou Garrison. Sun Xiangfu hosted a banquet for him, attempting to subtly inquire about Chancellor Xu Jingfu. However, Chu Zhao remained guarded, deflecting the questions by stating the Chancellor was troubled by significant state affairs, not by Commander Xiao Jue. Sun Xiangfu quickly agreed, eager to appear aligned with the Chancellor's interests.
Soon after, Commander Xiao Jue arrived with He Yan, who was disguised as Mr. Cheng Lisu. He Yan recognized Chu Zhao from a previous encounter, recalling how she had once swindled him but also given him medicine, considering them even. She noted that Chu Zhao did not expose her true identity, allowing her to continue her disguise.
Sun Xiangfu then compelled his son, Sun Ling, to apologize to Xiao Jue and He Yan for his previous insolence, which He Yan mockingly acknowledged. During the banquet, Xiao Jue addressed the matter of military funding. Sun Xiangfu lamented that the Yezhou treasury had been depleted for years, making it impossible to provide the Yezhou Garrison with the necessary resources. Xiao Jue, however, pointed out the lavishness of the banquet despite Sun Xiangfu's claims of hardship.
He suggested that Chu Zhao, as the inspector, examine the tax ledger to determine if taxes had truly gone uncollected or if there was foul play. Chu Zhao readily agreed to assist, emphasizing the importance of securing the welfare of the garrison soldiers. To liven up the banquet, Sun Xiangfu introduced dancers and musicians and presented a cherished aged vintage. While the guests were distracted, Ding Yi, a subordinate sent by General Feihong, poured wine for Xiao Jue.
He Yan sensed something was wrong and deliberately knocked over Xiao Jue's wine cup, revealing the presence of poison. The performers were revealed to be assassins and immediately attacked Xiao Jue. Sun Xiangfu and Sun Ling, feigning terror, hid under the table and weakly called for guards. Without revealing her martial arts skills, He Yan secretly assisted Xiao Jue.
When she saw Ding Yi make a subtle signal, she anticipated a follow-up attack and pulled Xiao Jue closer, shielding him from a cloud of powder. The powder flew into He Yan's eyes, blinding her. The remaining assassins then committed suicide by taking poison. After the incident, Sun Xiangfu and his son knelt, vehemently denying any knowledge of the assassins or the poisoned wine, claiming the attackers were external hires.
Xiao Jue declared he would not leave until the truth was uncovered, and Chu Zhao affirmed his commitment to a thorough investigation. Although He Yan tried to appear unfazed by her blindness, Xiao Jue perceived her underlying fear. Later, Chu Zhao privately confronted Sun Xiangfu and Ding Yi. They admitted to orchestrating the plot but insisted it was to benefit Chancellor Xu Jingfu by undermining Xiao Jue, whom they saw as a threat.
Chu Zhao sternly warned them against implicating the Chancellor. Ding Yi assured Chu Zhao that Xiao Jue would not leave Yezhou alive. Separately, Sun Xiangfu found Cheng Lisu's act of spilling the wine suspiciously timely, while Ding Yi felt Cheng Lisu seemed familiar. Feeling responsible for He Yan's injury, Xiao Jue took great care of her, even personally feeding her porridge the next morning.
When Yezhou's most renowned oculist was brought in, He Yan subtly tested him by claiming she had taken a combination of cassia seeds and white peony root. When the physician approved, she exposed his incompetence by pointing out that the two herbs should not be taken together. In truth, the powder had only blinded her temporarily, and a special medicine from her master had already restored her sight. She decided to feign blindness to lower everyone's guard.
However, Xiao Jue already suspected she could see and resolved to observe how long she would maintain her act. Meanwhile, Chu Zhao instructed his attendant, Yingxiang, to locate the hidden account books detailing the dealings between Sun Xiangfu and Chancellor Xu Jingfu. Knowing Xiao Jue's plans, He Yan clung to his arm while feigning blindness. When Xiao Jue deliberately failed to warn her about an upcoming step, she artfully stumbled and grabbed his waist for support.
Xiao Jue rebuffed her, telling her that was enough. Feinu, Xiao Jue's subordinate, reported discovering a hidden chamber in the mansion, suspecting it contained the tax ledger. Capitalizing on He Yan's feigned blindness, Xiao Jue devised a plan for her to distract Sun Ling, allowing him to search Sun Ling's bedchamber. He Yan created a commotion by loudly pretending to be lost, which drew Sun Ling back to his room.
Sun Ling found his room in disarray, realizing someone had been inside, and headed toward a hidden compartment. However, the compartment had a complex locking mechanism that could destroy its contents if opened incorrectly, so Xiao Jue had not acted. As Sun Ling attempted to assault the "blind" He Yan, Chu Zhao intervened, rebuking Sun Ling for his behavior. Chu Zhao then personally escorted He Yan back to her room. Shortly after, Ding Yi arrived to summon Chu Zhao to a meeting with Sun Xiangfu, casting a suspicious glance at He Yan as he left.
