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[General and I]
[Episode 35]
Young Master.
There is still one thing I am worried about.
What is it?
Tell me.
Young Master, you saved Ping Ting
but have you thought about how you will answer to the princess?
Young Master, may I be so bold as to say
you don't truly love Princess Yao Tian, do you?
How dare you? What nonsense are you speaking?
Do you know that question could lead to our deaths?
The princess is not one to be spoken of in a joking manner by you.
But what about Ping Ting?
For her, staying by my side is the best choice.
I have already done my best on this matter.
Don't talk about it anymore. It is not up to you to worry about.
But--
Young Master!
Ping Ting, are you all right?
I am fine. I am all right.
But we are now...
It is my fault.
It is all my fault.
Ping Ting, what will we do now?
Are we really following He Xia to Bai Lan?
Chinese figwort, fritillaria bulb
dwarf lilyturf, lily bulb, and Chinese foxglove root.
That... is a prescription for clearing and purging.
Ping Ting, what you need right now is a prescription for warming and tonifying.
I am thinking
if this prescription had cornelian cherry added to it
my problem could be easily solved.
You must not!
Ping Ting, you have to remember you are carrying Bei Jie's child in your womb.
Do you still remember what we talked about last night?
We said if you have a boy, you will teach him to read
- and His Highness will-- - His Highness...
His Highness...
Today is His Highness's birthday.
We agreed he would return today.
We even made steamed cake for him.
We even made steamed cake for him, Zui Ju.
But he did not return.
If He Xia did not lie to me...
If His Highness really...
If His Highness really is dead
I don't want to be the one left living.
I know, I know.
Ping Ting, if His Highness is still alive
he would not want to see you like this.
He wants you to be happy.
Mount East country house is gone.
Our home is gone.
If Chu Bei Jie no longer exists in this world
then there will no longer be Bai Ping Ting.
Ping Ting.
Don't.
Zui Ju.
Zui Ju, is... is His Highness still alive?
Stop the carriage!
Come, Ping Ting.
Are you all right?
What is wrong with Ping Ting?
She feels a bit uncomfortable. Let her walk alone.
Young Master.
- Everyone rest for an hour. - But this--
Everyone rest for an hour.
You...
Ping Ting doesn't want to be followed.
Let go! If I don't go, am I to let that murderer follow her?
Young Master is no murderer. He won't harm Ping Ting.
If he isn't a murderer, then who is?
He has already killed so many people!
What do you know?
The three of us grew up together. We have a very good relationship.
How would an outsider like you understand?
Good relationship? I think not.
He is the one who tore Ping Ting and Bei Jie apart.
- You! - I--
I don't want to waste time talking with you. Get back inside.
Go!
- Get up there. - Let go!
You and I had made a promise that if one of us should die one day
the other would surely follow.
Bei Jie, if you really are dead, I will not live either.
Why?
I have done so much for you
yet you pay me no heed.
Didn't I say I want some time alone?
What are you here for?
I saw you haven't been eating.
There is still a long journey ahead.
You won't be able to withstand it.
Death could occur at any moment.
To be separated by death causes sleepless nights of heartbreak.
A widow should mourn her dead husband.
It is an old Yan State custom for a widow to fast for three days.
Have you forgotten these customs after going to Bai Lan?
Ping Ting.
Take two steps back. That is dangerous.
Your hands are covered in the blood of my soldiers.
Are you afraid of adding the blood of one more person?
I did not want to kill them.
I only wanted to take you away.
Young Master.
You have slaughtered so many.
Do you still remember the person you once was?
I am still me.
Their only fault was that they were Chu Bei Jie's men.
They deserved to die.
- Let go. - I won't.
Ping Ting, anybody else in this world can misunderstand me except for you.
What I want is revenge.
I want revenge for the dozens of lives of my household.
Please don't push me.
Nobody is pushing you, Young Master.
These are all the choices you've made.
Just as how I will love only Chu Bei Jie in this lifetime.
You should treat your Princess Yao Tian well.
We cannot return to the past.
This is our fate.
I do not believe in fate.
I only believe that man is the master of his own fate.
How about this?
I will give you some time.
Take time to calm down.
Think about who truly treats you well.
I believe one day
your heart will return to me.
Does Princess Yao Tian know
not only did you not kill me, but are also bringing me back to Bai Lan?
These are my own matters.
I will handle it.
That means she does not know yet.
She is my wife.
She will not act against my wishes.
That is right.
Likewise...
I am Chu Bei Jie's wife.
I will stand with my husband.
I will love only him in this lifetime.
Love only him? You are foolish. He is already dead!
Would he know?
Have you ever loved someone?
Do you know the feeling of cooking and helping them dress every day?
Do you know the feeling of deriving happiness from their pleasure?
Have you ever experienced it?
Young Master.
You live alone in your own world.
You are not fit to love someone.
As for power...
What if you were to die tomorrow?
Ping Ting.
Saying that is very selfish of you.
Who does not wish to cherish tender affection with another?
Who doesn't want that piece of happiness?
But when you one day discover your entire family dead
you do not have the right to enjoy that tenderness and lasting affection
and stay together in love.
Every moment of every day, I am telling myself
I need revenge.
Just revenge!
Otherwise, I find it hard to fall asleep at night.
My dreams are full of the faces of those who died unjustly.
Do you understand that feeling?
Will you get what you want after you exact your revenge?
Will you then sleep well?
Has it ever occurred to you the ones you killed
have parents and children as well?
What will you have them do?
Come seek you for revenge as well?
When will the cycle of revenge end?
I cannot worry about so much.
I have already reached my goal.
What I want to do now is return to the past.
It is no longer possible.
We can no longer return to the past.
Your desires will destroy you.
Ping Ting, are you all right?
What did He Xia do to you? What did he say to you?
Do not worry.
We are still very safe.
That is a relief.
Ping Ting, what plans do you have now?
Plans?
He is no longer here. What plans could I have?
We can only take one step at a time now.
But the child...
I will do my best to live on for the child.
Who are you? Stop right there!
Capture him!
Chase after him!
My name is Fei Zhao Xing. Greetings, Young Prince.
Fei Zhao Xing? Who exactly are you?
Your Highness must surely have never heard of a lowly servant as I before.
We never met before, so I could only resort to this to verify your identity.
Please forgive me, Your Highness.
I came under orders to deliver a piece of valuable news.
How did you know I would pass by here?
If Your Highness did not pass by here
then this piece of news would not be of use to Your Highness.
If Your Highness passed by here, then you would surely encounter me.
What do you have to say?
King of Yan has prepared an ambush up ahead
to kill Your Highness and seize Miss Bai.
You work for Queen of Yan?
Yes.
I was ordered by Her Highness to warn Young Prince
to be careful of an ambush.
"Young Prince"?
I am no longer some Young Prince.
However, it seems nothing has changed with Yan State's palace affairs.
King of Yan is cold and ruthless while Queen of Yan is hypocritical.
The two make a perfect match.
Young Prince.
Her Highness is willing to dispel past misunderstandings
and work together with you.
Dispel past misunderstandings?
And even work together with me?
Her Highness is full of sincerity.
All right.
She saved me once.
I naturally owe her a favor.
Tell her not to forget
the debts to Prince of Jing An's household
have yet to be cleared.
Young Prince, every injustice has its perpetrator and every debt its debtor.
God sees all things clearly.
Someone will eventually pay for the grievances you have suffered.
The message has been delivered. I bid you farewell.
Hold on.
You seem quite efficient at carrying out your tasks.
We will meet again.
I would be most glad to.
Farewell, Your Highness.
Convey my order. We are taking a detour.
Yes, Young Master.
Your Highness, Bai Lan is up ahead.
If He Xia crosses the border into Bai Lan
we won't be able to catch up.
Release the arrows.
Those in my way will die!
Stop! Stop fighting!
We've attacked the wrong people!
Your Highness, they are not He Xia's men.
It's a mistake!
Your Highness, this attack was purely a misunderstanding.
We are not afraid of death
but it will be unjust if we are to lose our lives for this.
Please forgive us, Your Highness.
Speak! Who are you? Why have you set up an ambush here?
Your Highness, we are men of Yan State.
We are under imperial orders to intercept He Xia.
How outrageous, Yan troops.
You are on Jin land.
Who allowed you to bring your troops here for an ambush?
It goes to say you have not come across He Xia yet.
If we had, we would not have made such a big error today.
Leave!
Withdraw!
Quick, withdraw!
He Xia did not come through here. We can't catch up to them.
Your Highness, what will we do now?
We will return to the capital and move our troops to attack Bai Lan.
Even if I have to turn Bai Lan inside out
I will bring back my people!
Yes, Your Highness.
Out of all the paths we could take, they had to choose this awful one.
The carriage keeps rocking. Do you want us to die in here?
Ping Ting, eat something.
You won't survive if you don't eat.
You have to live well, even if just for your own sake.
Zui Ju, take it.
Thank you, Young Master.
For the sake of Bei Jie's child, I cannot die yet.
Dear officials, you work hard every day for the people and for Yan State.
I raise my cup in a toast to each of you.
Not at all. We are your subjects.
It is only right for us to devote our lives to His Majesty.
Your Majesty.
Are today's dance and song not to Your Majesty's liking?
Your Majesty.
This name of this song is "Serene Orchid."
The name of this dance is "Rhapsody of A Beauty."
It has differences from Yan song and dance.
I sent someone outside our lands
to invite a musician to compose a new song for the choreography.
If Your Majesty wishes, they can remain in the palace
so they may help Your Majesty unwind.
You are very thoughtful.
I will keep them here
so I don't let your good intentions go to waste.
Your Majesty, what is the matter today?
The song is nice, but it seems to be lacking some charm.
I find it hard to immerse myself in the music.
It falls short of being a fine song with that one flaw.
It is truly a pity.
Yes, Your Majesty is absolutely correct.
When I first heard the song, I also found it a bit odd
but I could not figure it out.
I understand now after Your Majesty mentions it.
I can only hope to one day reach Your Majesty's grasp of music.
Yes, I could not hear it either.
Your Majesty is impressive.
All the songs His Majesty has heard before
were the most famous and unparalleled in Great Yan.
His Majesty's ears have long since been used to such exceptional music.
How can this ordinary music be fitting for His Majesty to listen to?
Do not be impudent in front of His Majesty.
Your Majesty.
The musician's skill today is no doubt inadequate.
However, this dance is quite decent.
Look at the dancers.
Their waists are delicate and they move with such grace and charm.
What do you think, Your Majesty?
You may all step out.
Yes.
His Majesty holds less and less respect for me.
What spell has taken hold of him?
Do not be angry, Your Highness.
Do you know why His Majesty's temper is so foul?
How am I to know?
Do you know, Father?
His Majesty sent men to Jin State to ambush He Xia
wishing to capture Bai Ping Ting and bring her back to the palace.
What?
He wants to capture Bai Ping Ting?
Then doesn't that mean he intends to place her in the harem?
Do not panic, Your Highness. I have already solved the problem.
I sent your younger brother to intercept He Xia.
The men His Majesty sent didn't even catch He Xia's shadow.
Instead, they accidentally attacked Chu Bei Jie's men.
900 against 3,000.
Being so heavily outnumbered naturally led to disastrous losses.
His Majesty feels he is in the wrong.
How can he not be furious?
You have gone to much trouble, Father.
If not for you
if I had to allow that woman into the palace
then with His Majesty's temperament
I'm afraid I would lose my position.
Your Highness is the matron of the world.
The Yue family stays together for better and for worse.
Your brother and I will do our utmost to protect your position.
We are unable to help within the palace. You will be on your own.
However, outside the palace, we will lend you our assistance
and will surely spare no effort.
I am sorry to trouble you so, Father.
There is no need to be so polite, Your Highness.
We are family.
You have to remember to keep your composure in the palace from now on.
His Majesty is a king, not an ordinary man.
You must remember to tread carefully.
I understand.
Prince of Zhenbei wields the tiger tally
and mobilized an army of 300,000 without permission.
Less than a tenth of the armed forces are left to defend the state.
He seems to disregard the safety of the state.
These reckless actions are truly intolerable in the eyes of the law.
For the safety of the state and the people, we sincerely ask Your Majesty
to command Prince of Zhenbei to lead the army back to Jin
to avoid making a serious mistake.
Your Majesty, I believe
Prince of Zhenbei should not impetuously dispatch the troops
for revenge due to his feelings for a woman.
Such actions scream of indiscretion.
Relations with Bai Lan have just settled down.
Prince of Zhenbei's actions are inadvisable
for the health of the friendship between our two states.
Friendship between two states?
The other day, Bai Lan's Princess Consort stationed 300,000 troops at the border.
Such impudence on her part
shows she is prepared for Great Jin's mounted troops to enter her land.
Your Majesty.
Bai Lan's Prince Consort's 300,000 troops
were only practicing drills in the periphery.
They made no move to encroach on our territory.
However, Prince of Zhenbei's current actions
will incite conflict between our two states
and will result in irreparable damage between Bai Lan and Jin.
Jin State's businesses are a long way from being reestablished
and will not be able to weather such trials.
For the sake of the safety of the people and Great Jin
please order Prince of Zhenbei to quickly withdraw the troops.
A general in the battlefield is not bound by the orders from his sovereign.
The military tally is in his hands. I can do nothing about it.
As for you, have you come up with a solution to the silkworm shortage?
You have not dealt with your own matters
yet you are busy minding other people's business.
I have a good grasp on the situation concerning Prince of Zhenbei.
You may all go.
We will take our leave now.
Bring me Gu Bo Yu's painting of a fierce tiger springing down a mountain.
Yes.
Your Majesty, Her Majesty says this is a tiger jumping down a mountain.
It exudes a strong viciousness.
She had me keep this hidden.
This tiger does indeed look exceptionally ferocious.
Have someone deliver this directly to Prince of Zhenbei.
There is to be no delay.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Prince Consort.
You have all worked hard.
Withdraw.
Send a message to the princess that I will visit her after I change.
Yes.
Princess, what brings you here?
I had someone deliver word that I'd enter the palace after changing my clothes.
Prince Consort has had a taxing journey. I ought to come out to welcome you.
Princess, I am sorry for putting you through such trouble.
We are husband and wife. There is no need for such formalities.
You have all worked hard. Go have a nice rest.
- Yes. - Yes.
You must have acquired many items on your trip this time.
Princess, I have brought back some rare items.
Come, let's go take a look.
Come.
Princess, I brought back perfume from outside the state
that provides a calming effect.
You will have to try it.
If it can grant a moment of tranquility, then there could be nothing better.
Princess, come have a sniff.
After your campaign, our situation with Jin State has swiftly changed.
Are you not worried in the least?
What is the matter? Has Prime Minister Gui said something?
Chu Bei Jie is already dead.
Jin State will not dare to fight against Bai Lan.
What else could Prime Minister Gui have to say?
It seems you do not know yet.
Not only is Chu Bei Jie not dead
but he also has command of 300,000 troops and is advancing straight for Bai Lan.
Chu Bei Jie did not die?
How is that possible?
Wasn't he sentenced to death?
Even without Prime Minister's complaints
I must say you have been too careless this time.
Bringing the army to the border was an impressive display of power.
Prime Minister strongly opposed it.
However, I thought you had absolute certainty in the outcome
and thus provided my full support.
Yet I never imagined you would be so careless.
For some reason, you withdrew the troops without ascertaining the situation.
The man you thought to be dead is now leading his army to counterattack.
Prince Consort, are you not leaving yourself open to ridicule?
Even if I side with you once again
I still cannot neglect the ministers' advice.
Then the attack on Noble Consort Zhang's royal son
was left unresolved?
It's said the young prince died suddenly from the plague
and was hastily buried.
His mother, Noble Consort Zhang
was banished to the Cold Palace on account of treason.
Only Chu Bei Jie emerged unscathed and was restored to his official post.
So it was Sima Hong's scheme.
He actually used me to eliminate...
Eliminate whom?
Princess, should Chu Bei Jie dare invade
I'll most certainly fight back with all my power.
Please do not worry, Your Highness. Bai Lan is now fully independent.
Since we cannot eliminate him through courtly conflict
then having him die on the battlefield will be satisfying enough.
You are correct.
It is time to put an end to the fight between Bai Lan and Jin.
However, Chu Bei Jie is furiously bearing down on us.
As Chief Commander, you must have a countermeasure in place.
A war is imminent.
You must have absolute focus, and the war must be your top priority.
Be sure not to be distracted by other matters.
I can take care of everything else for you.
Understood. I will be prudent.
[Qingzi Hall]
Zui Ju, go inside to tidy up first.
Dong Zhuo.
Tell Young Master that I only have two legs.
It's unnecessary for so many people to guard me.
Ping Ting, Young Master is worried since this is a remote and dangerous location.
What if something were to happen and guards could not be called in time?
That is why he has these people stationed here to ensure your safety.
He also said this location may be remote
but it is very quiet and will surely be to your liking.
Ping Ting, just settle down here for now.
Young Master will move you to another estate after some time.
Thank Young Master for his good intentions then.
Ping Ting, what's wrong?
I must be tired from the long ride. I feel a bit unwell.
Are you all right?
I can help her.
Let's go, Ping Ting.
Be careful.
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