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[General And I]
[Episode 48]
It's the auspicious hour!
Call roll and appoint positions!
Infantry battalion, Rong Si!
Present!
General.
Crossbow team, Chen Dong!
Present!
General.
Cavalry battalion, Huang Rui!
General.
Good.
Infantry battalion, Liu Jian!
Crossbow team, Gao Wei!
Cavalry battalion, Wei Peng!
Infantry battalion, Cao Fei!
Present!
The roll call is coming to an end.
The Gui family has yet to be appointed.
Will He Xia use this chance to remove us?
Gui Chang Ning and Gui Yan, receive the command!
- Present! - Present!
Both generals are appointed as left and right wing vanguards!
You're to lead Weibei Troop and Cloud Army.
Receive your new positions on the platform!
Congratulations to both generals.
May both generals return in victory.
May you render great merit.
Who does he think he is?
General Gui.
What did you say?
I shall remain loyal until death.
But not to you.
My loyalty is to the princess.
And to the people of Bai Lan!
Well said!
Bring forth the tally!
You...
Soldiers and commanders!
This war is of great significance to Bai Lan State.
For the princess and the people of Bai Lan State
we swear to wipe out those villains of Jin State!
At death do we stop!
Wipe them all out!
Damn it!
Uncle, what are you doing?
He Xia is too much of a bully!
He's even pushed me down.
I'll teach that jerk a lesson today!
Uncle, calm down!
It's not time yet.
Father has given us orders to put an end to He Xia's life
when the battle commences.
Young Master.
How is it?
It's all been arranged.
Good.
Hand over the rations.
- Get up. - Go over there.
Get inside.
What are you doing?
My child!
You can't take it!
- Stop yelling! - Everyone, listen up!
Listen up!
The imperial court is deploying soldiers to war.
They can't fight a war without rations.
Therefore, they have to collect rations from you
in order to save you from being killed in the war!
Every household should hand over your food obediently!
- Hand it over! - Don't make us take it!
Sir, it's been raining for a month.
How could there be a harvest or any food stocked?
Sir, this is the last bit of rations left.
If you take it, what are we to eat?
Heartless beasts!
You'd even snatch this bit of food from us?
How are we to survive?
Sir, I'm begging you!
You can't take everything from us!
Move faster!
Let's go!
Sir!
Quickly!
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty.
Prince Consort of Bai Lan He Xia's army has already
trespassed some 300 miles into Great Jin
and taken down 10 cities.
If no one can lead our army against him
the century-old Great Jin will be vanquished by that man!
Reporting to Your Majesty.
The army of Bai Lan is not what it used to be.
He Xia claims to have 300,000 men.
He has well-trained soldiers and plenty of commanders in great discipline.
However, Great Jin has suffered from natural disasters these two years
and our army rations are insufficient.
Even if we go to war, I'm afraid that we won't last a few days.
General Yu.
Are you willing to lead the army to fend off our enemies?
Your Majesty, I...
I...
Fine.
Chancellor Du.
Your Majesty.
Are you willing to act as commander-in-chief again?
Your Majesty...
I...
Your Majesty, I...
Your Majesty.
Please allow me to urge the collection of rations first.
Once our people have handed over the rations
we can then set out to war with sufficient food.
Useless bums!
Your Majesty! Please appease your anger!
You're paid wages from the imperial court
and yet not one of you is willing to step forward
to assist Great Jin in such times of crisis!
Now that He Xia's army is coming at us with great speed
and the people of Great Jin will soon be plunged into misery
would I still have to beg you to lead our army to war
if Prince of Zhenbei were here?
Your Majesty.
Report!
What is it?
The army of Bai Lan travels so fast?
Your Majesty.
A mysterious businessperson is willing to provide us with 100 piculs of rations
to go against Bai Lan State.
There are still people with good conscience.
The gods are in favor of Jin!
Congratulations, Your Majesty!
Quickly, bring it out!
Move faster!
You! Hurry up!
Move faster!
Faster!
Move them over there!
Quickly!
Put it over there.
Put it down properly!
My food...
Darn you!
Let go!
I dare you to steal it!
Damn it!
How dare you steal it!
- Don't take it away! - You can't take it!
Don't take it away!
You can't take it!
Atrocious peasant! How dare you attack an official?
- Spare me, heroine! - Get lost!
Leave now!
Go!
Quickly!
- Thank you, Lady Buddha! - Thank you, heroine!
Thank you, warriors!
Father!
Don't be scared, old gentleman.
Thank you so much! Thank you!
Thank you!
Hand out the rations!
Here.
Take it.
Thank you!
Get up.
Here.
- Take it. - Thank you.
- Folks. - Thank you.
- Hold it. - Thank you.
Thank you for saving us!
Young Master.
A businessperson appeared and distributed rations in Jin State.
A businessperson?
What sort of a businessperson?
This man is very mysterious.
No one knows who he really is.
He actually had so many rations stockpiled
that he could supply to the people.
After this news was made known to all
the dispirited soldiers of Great Jin who chucked away their armor
now have their morale boosted.
Have Fei Zhao Xing investigate his identity.
Yes!
Young Master, the collection of rations has roused public wrath in Jin State.
Their people complained unceasingly.
There is already civil unrest and people are going against local authorities.
That's very good.
It means that our strategy of buying huge quantities of animal feed
and rations from Jin State is effective.
Then... Does Young Master have the next plan in mind?
To disrupt one's nation, first perturb one's mind.
Since someone has moved up our plan, we might as go along with it.
Convey my orders.
Release all of our stocked rations.
Yes!
[Ration]
One by one!
Don't push!
The fear of running low on food will cause a surge of panic buying.
This will cause the people of Jin to drain the last of their strength.
Even if we raise the price
someone will still buy it however expensive it is.
Those who can't afford it will resort to stealing or robbery.
Great Jin will soon become a living hell.
[100 pennies per bushel]
When the people can't even survive, who could be in favor of their king?
[Ration]
We won't have to go to war with them at all.
Jin State is already ours to take.
Give it to me!
Be careful!
How dangerous.
Good child.
Don't cry. It's all right now.
- Mother! - Don't cry.
Girl.
What is it? Are you all right?
The rations are gone!
- Thank you. - You're welcome.
If it's gone, it's gone. Let's go. Thank you!
Be careful.
Pay first!
- Give me a bushel of it. - A bushel!
Master Dong.
The price of food is raised so high.
Should we continue to purchase it?
Yes.
However expensive it is, keep purchasing rations.
If we don't pull food prices down, Great Jin won't survive this crisis.
Jiaoyan Casino's hard-earned money is now in the hands
of those despicable merchants who drove up food prices.
I really feel so bad about it.
If our home is gone, what use is money to us?
It's been raining for another month in the south of Jin State.
Acres of land can't be harvested.
Bundles of mulberry silk rot in storage.
The entirety of Great Jin is in utter devastation.
Do you really think that the money in your hands
can save all our people?
Once, a woman put herself forward to save all the people in Kanbu City.
This person is already dead.
Those who are still alive should at least give it a try as well.
Even if we might be going against the gods.
All right, I understand.
I'll get this matter done the best that I can.
All right, Chang Xiao. Let's go home.
[Jin San Rice Shop]
Stop pushing!
This is so annoying.
Rations are out for sale, but the price has gone up even more!
I was thinking of getting some gifts for the elderly and my children.
Now it seems that it's even quite hard to get some rice.
Yang Feng.
Take Chang Xiao to the tea stall next store and ask for some water.
I just remembered something.
I'll meet up with you later.
All right.
Chang Xiao, let's go to the tea stall.
We'll wait for you.
Give me some food.
Please give me half a bushel.
I'd like 37.5 grams.
I'd also like a bushel.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- I want this! - Thank you.
- Give me five bushels. - Give me two bushels.
I'd like two bushels.
- Half a bushel, please. - Thank you.
Young man, give me a bushel.
Madam, would you like some rice?
This is new rice. It's 200 pennies per bushel.
Crushed rice is slightly cheaper.
It's 120 pennies per bushel.
Which would you like?
Madam, I'd advise you to buy more rice now and stock up.
A couple of days ago, we didn't even have a bushel of rice available.
For months, everyone had a hard time trying to get rice for meals.
Suddenly, rice was sent over to us.
- It's sold a bit pricier. - Get me a bushel.
Don't worry.
We're a small store.
It's a small business.
The price isn't unreasonable. Don't worry.
Where did this rice come from?
We don't know that.
We only know that rice was suddenly delivered here.
If you find this rice too expensive, you can come over in a few days.
Strangely enough, a couple of days ago
a group of Great Jin's merchants showed up out of nowhere.
They were towing hundreds of kilos of rations toward Yanlin City.
Along the way, they left some rations at every town.
It's said the price of their rations is even lower than that of a full harvest.
I think that the food prices will gradually drop.
Who knows? Perhaps in a few days
we might also get to buy some cheap rations as well.
Am I right?
Great Jin's traveling merchants?
Yes, that's right.
Sir, I'll take this.
Sure.
I just need to get two feet of cloth for A-Han's wife
and a few books for Ze Qing.
And...
Ping Ting!
Ping Ting.
Do you find it boring to spend your days with us like this?
Why would you ask me that?
I think that you seem quite distracted these days.
More and more is happening out there.
You seem to feel less secure than ever.
I don't think that you're here just to do some shopping.
You heard from Wei Ting that someone is suddenly selling rations on the streets
so you came to take a look, right?
If Chang Xiao and I didn't insist on coming with you
I'm afraid that you'd be wandering everywhere to seek out the reasons.
Ping Ting, I understand.
Wherever you are, whatever you do
you'll always be that Bai Ping Ting.
Should anything that you see bother you and leave you questioning
you have to get to the bottom of it.
You can't help but wish to tell great things of the world
from just a grain of rice.
Ping Ting, I'm really frightened.
I also couldn't bear to think.
I'm scared that our life will once again be disrupted.
I can't bear at all the thought that you might be leaving me again.
Ping Ting... Do you know that whenever you sit by the window alone
deep in your thoughts
I can't help but fear that you'll be leaving me very soon?
This is all going to happen soon.
Yang Feng.
I feel the same way as you do.
I also like the life we now lead.
I like our plum woods.
I like being with our children.
Perhaps, some recent matters have been troubling me.
I am indeed a bit perturbed.
But I promise you that I'll try my best not to think about it.
I'll keep leading a carefree life with you like a deity, all right?
What did you find out at the rice stall?
Do you really wish to know?
You're the all-knowing one, but I'm not to worry about the world?
You really underestimated me.
A couple of months ago, there wasn't even any rice to sell
and now this supply seems to have been provided quite suspiciously.
I took a close look at the rice.
None of it is newly harvested.
It's all old rice.
First, it was stocked up and now sold at such a high price.
Such purchasing and selling of rice
is enough to cause chaos in both Jin and Liang.
I think that He Xia must have released this batch of rice.
I know that Bai Lan has grown stronger in the past two years.
However, I didn't expect He Xia to become so powerful.
Exactly. He has the ambition to rule the world.
Everything is going according to his plans.
Is there really no one else in the world who can take him down?
That might not be true.
I just heard from the young shop assistant
that a group of Great Jin's traveling merchants
are releasing rations at a low price.
This is a strange action to take in such times.
It seems they already knew that He Xia would stockpile rations
so they have been preparing for this day.
If not, they wouldn't be able to bring out so much food now
to calm the people down.
I think that the merchant is...
This is bad. Where's Chang Xiao?
Chang Xiao!
What should we do?
- Let's split up to look for him! - Yes.
- Chang Xiao! - Chang Xiao!
Have you seen a child about this tall?
- No. - Chang Xiao!
Chang Xiao!
- Have you seen a child around? - No.
- Have you seen a child around? - I haven't.
Make sure you get the numbers right.
Here.
Hurry up!
It was always Lady Thirteen who talked to me when I came here.
This time, I finally got to meet Master Dong in person.
I've been too occupied with work and failed to attend to you then.
Do forgive me, Mister Kan Ji.
Who has just mentioned Lady Thirteen?
Mister Kan Ji.
This is a small token from our Master Dong.
Thank you very much!
Lady Thirteen's hospitality is truly impressive. I'm too flattered.
Master Dong.
We'll get back to our discussion.
The trade routes are now blocked and merchants from the Western Regions
are scared to order goods from Central Plains.
Hence, the prices of our goods have all dropped greatly.
Thirteen.
- Master Dong. - Mister Kan Ji, please.
We also intend to open up Yongchang Passage on the southwest.
A new trade route could direct us away from the battles
and straight to the passes in the north out to the Western Regions.
Mister Dong.
You're indeed the top merchant of Jin and Liang.
Your wisdom and insight are like no other.
Mister Kan Ji is too kind.
I actually think that if this town really grows into a courier station
for traveling merchants
this place will develop into a huge market in a few years.
The flow of goods from the neighboring towns
will then meet at this place.
If we are to live in seclusion in the future
we must choose to stay in this mountain.
Why?
Look.
This place connects to Liang in the north and then Jin in the south.
The left leads to Bai Lan and the right to the Western Regions.
Moreover, next to this mountain is the origin of Wei River.
It's said that many traveling merchants have already gathered in this town.
I believe that in just a few years
this place will surely turn into a huge market.
It sounds pretty good.
Should we start to make a more detailed plan then?
Stop fooling around.
Are you going to draft the plan or not?
I'll do whatever you say.
It's all your call.
Where will we live?
Where will our home be?
Chang Xiao!
Jiaoyan Casino is by no means a safe place.
I'm afraid that...
We could get ourselves killed.
This child is so adorable!
Where did he come from?
He seems to be lost.
- Lady Thirteen. - Lady Thirteen.
What is your name?
Where is your mother?
Come with me first.
I'll help you find your mother later.
Here.
Once we get this trade route fixed
you can bring Lady Thirteen with you to the Western Regions on a trip.
The great wine and scenery of the Western Regions
are not inferior to that of this place!
Sure!
Mister Kan Ji.
Thank you for your kindness.
But this matter is up to Master Dong.
I'll go wherever he decides to go.
Master Dong.
You and Lady Thirteen are such a great couple.
Even your child is so adorable.
Master Dong.
When are we getting married?
Thirteen, stop joking around.
Where did you find this child?
Mister Kan Ji means well.
We should go along with it.
- Exactly. - Thirteen, stop fooling around.
Master Dong.
You're too insensitive.
Lady Thirteen of Yan is known for her intelligence and beauty.
If she had set her eyes on me, I'd have proposed to her
with 10,000 camels by now!
Mister Kan Ji, you said it.
If you really do bring me 10,000 camels, I'll leave with you.
Lady Thirteen.
There's a woman outside looking for her child.
Mister Kan Ji, excuse me.
Let's go.
Mother, I'm here!
Chang Xiao!
Young lady, thank you.
My child got lost and troubled you.
You're too polite, Madam.
Bring out two platters of fruit.
Please don't go to such trouble.
We're already running late because my child got lost.
Our family is still waiting for us at home.
Allow me to visit the next time to thank you.
Let's go.
The child is so likable, and his mother isn't some common woman either.
You didn't even flinch when entering the red-light district?
In history, many heroines came from brothels.
That heroic air about you is indeed impressive.
The fragrance of plums on you makes one forget about worldly affairs.
It's no wonder that the wine you make is unlike any other.
Lady Thirteen observes well.
Madam, how do you know who I am?
The dragon-phoenix emerald ring on your finger
is a priceless treasure of the Western Regions.
How could any common woman possess it?
You're dressed in extravagant silk with gold thread on your sleeves.
Who else but the renowned Lady Thirteen of Yan
could look so magnificent in Jiaoyan Casino?
Jiaoyan Casino has failed to treat our guest well.
Last time, I kept you waiting outside the door.
Your two friends who delivered the wine met me briefly
but they never came here again.
There are many chivalrous heroes in times of turmoil.
My friends barged into Jiaoyan Casino's confidential quarters by mistake.
They should apologize to you.
Judging from your accent, you're from Jin State?
I've recently heard that a mysterious group of traveling merchants
are selling rations at a low price to balance the market prices.
Judging by Jiaoyan Casino's capacity and what my friends witnessed
I can boldly infer that this mysterious merchant
must be related to Jiaoyan Casino.
If so, Jiaoyan Casino is the benefactor of Great Jin.
My friends and I are just common folks.
All we ask for is a stable and quiet life in times of chaos.
Lady Thirteen, there's no need to be wary of us.
Other than being impressed by what we saw and know of Jiaoyan Casino
we would never say a word of it to anyone.
Indeed, the wise dwell in seclusion.
Madam is very broad-minded.
However, how am I to trust that you won't harm Jiaoyan Casino?
I am a mother.
All I seek in such chaotic times is to keep my child safe.
I'd never do anything that could jeopardize my child.
One day when Lady Thirteen becomes a mother
you'll understand what I mean.
I'll take my leave now.
Mister Kan Ji, after you.
Master Dong, thank you.
Thirteen, what is the matter?
I've just met...
A very special person.
Who is it?
Tell me about it.
Have you seen a child this tall?
No.
Have you seen a child?
Be careful.
- Place it steadily. - Chang Xiao!
Ping Ting!
Chang Xiao!
We finally found you!
You made me so worried!
It's all right now. Let's go.
You're not to run off on your own again. Hear me?
Let's go.
Greetings to Master Dong.
Do rise.
Now, Great Jin is in grave danger.
Although Jiaoyan Casino has amassed over 100 piculs of rations
and donated them to the army
the people of Great Jin have already lost faith.
The nation is dwindling.
These rations are only enough to keep the soldiers and people alive
but it can't keep their faith strong forever.
If we're to ignite that faith in them and keep it burning strong
we have to bring them hope.
The hope that Jin State has a chance of winning this war.
The hope that Great Jin will prosper once again.
We have to make the people of Jin believe in their army again.
We'll obey your orders.
You know the border between Jin and Liang very well.
I need you to escort a batch of supplies to Yanlin City
and be sure to deliver it right into the tent of Jin State's General Chen Mou.
Along the way, let the people see that there are still rations in Great Jin.
We can still keep fighting.
Moreover, apart from providing sufficient supplies to the army
offer food supplies as disaster relief to the people.
This must be done with great care.
[Ration]
Army provisions! Make way!
Keep up!
General Chen Mou is already on his way.
Great Jin's reinforcements will soon arrive here.
In order for us to hold our ground
we have to take down Yanlin City first.
Generals.
Who's willing to lead our army in rendering this very first merit?
General!
I'm willing to lead the army and take down Yanlin City!
Do you know who the garrison commander of Yanlin City is?
I've already investigated.
It's Chu Bei Jie's former subordinate, Luo Shang.
General, don't worry.
The number of soldiers in Cloud Army
is twice that of Yanlin City's garrison troop.
It's enough to take the city down.
Good!
I'll be waiting to celebrate your victory.
He Xia bears a deep grudge against our family.
In the imperial court, he might be wary of me
and wouldn't dare lay a finger on us
but now he holds the tally in his hands and you're under his command.
Be sure to be very cautious.
You must remind your second uncle not to drink again.
Stay alert and cautious.
Yes, Father.
I'll remember that.
General.
I have a small request to make for attacking Yanlin City.
A request?
Go on.
Speak your mind then.
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