The Long Ballad Episode 12 Recap
> The Long Ballad Recap
Sima Tu framed Gongsun Heng and sent men to confiscate his military seal. Elder Qin and Changge staged a scene, claiming a thief had broken in and the seal was lost, leaving Guard Wang empty-handed. Guard Wang saw through their act and gave them a three-day deadline: if he didn’t get the seal by then, the entire Gongsun household would face consequences. Sima Tu had long set his sights on Gongsun Heng’s military seal.
Elder Qin only laughed coldly and told Changge that not even the emperor’s jade seal could command Jizhou’s troops — they only followed Gongsun Heng. Now Sima Tu was planning to open the military storehouse and negotiate peace with Asher's Tribe. Changge worried about rescuing Gongsun Heng. She considered breaking into the prison, but Elder Qin stopped her — it would only fall into Sima Tu’s trap. At night, Changge came up with a plan to rescue Gongsun Heng.
Elder Qin thought it was risky but admitted it was their only option. Gongsun Heng had not misjudged her. He handed her the note Gongsun Heng left behind, allowing her to command the troops of Jizhou. Gongsun Heng had earned the people’s loyalty. With him in trouble, two city generals obeyed Changge’s orders. Only then did she understand what Shen Gu once said — the seal was just an object; true power came from the people’s hearts.
Changge’s method differed from Gongsun Heng’s. She ordered nightly raids on Asher’s camps without entering deeply, frustrating the Bear Division. Asher Sun, knowing Gongsun Heng’s style, realized another master strategist was now in command. Changge asked Elder Qin to find her a secret chamber. She went there, and Xu Feng reported the situation outside. Changge decided to use another method, one that required Xu Feng himself. Xu Feng went to Gongsun Mansion to monitor Sima Tu.
While Sima Jian was persuading Sima Tu to surrender, they discovered Xu Feng. Sima Jian tortured a confession out of him, and to save his life, Xu Feng betrayed Changge, not only capturing her for Sima Tu but also stabbing her in the chest as ordered. Sima Tu then prepared the surrender documents to present to Asher's Tribe.
Mu Jin heard that Gongsun Mansion’s registrar Li had already been dealt with and reported this to Asher Sun, who secretly worried about Changge. Knowing Tuka She would lead the Bear Division to attack the next day, he instructed Mu Jin to send a team to follow, ensuring Tuka She wouldn’t die so easily. The next day, Tuka She’s army arrived at the gates of Jizhou.
Sima Tu came out to present the surrender, feeling smug, but a long arrow suddenly exposed their collusion. Changge stood atop the wall, bow in hand, eyes sharp and fearless as she stared at the approaching Asher’s Tribe. Tuka She, shocked by the turn of events, flew into a rage and killed Sima Tu on the spot. As Asher’s troops charged, Changge gave the order to fire, catching them completely off guard.
Then, using flag signals, she ordered the army to drive them to the riverside, where she had already laid an ambush. Unable to defend, Asher’s forces were annihilated. Gongsun Heng returned safely to the mansion and thanked everyone, especially Changge — without her, Jizhou would have fallen. Changge thanked Xu Feng and herself for the “self-wounding ruse” and admitted that she had trusted Xu Feng because of his loyalty to Gongsun Heng.
After this crisis, everyone let down their guard toward her. Elder Qin respected her, and Gongsun Heng knelt to thank her on behalf of the city’s people. As a result, Changge was promoted from registrar to Cavalry Commandant. Tuka She, having suffered a devastating defeat, originally intended to kill Sima Jian. But Sima Jian quickly professed his loyalty and promised to help the Bear Division gather intel on Jizhou. Tuka She reluctantly spared him.
Hao Dou arrived in Jizhou and unexpectedly discovered that Changge was hiding in the city and had earned the full trust of Gongsun Heng. At the governor’s mansion, Changge shared a meal with Gongsun Heng’s family and felt the warmth of home. Their gathering was interrupted by urgent military news — the Eagle Division had burned Jizhou’s granary, officially challenging the city. The Eagle Division, Asher’s elite force, posed a serious threat. Now that they had reached the eastern marshes, Changge volunteered to lead troops there and confront them.
