Original subtitles

♪Shrugging off past burdens♪

♪Beneath the mask, who am I?♪

♪Release and find wider shores♪

♪Love's a riddle, and rain pours heavy♪

♪Crossed paths, now downward fall♪

♪From dust arises starlight's spark♪

♪Tearing through the night's dense blockade♪

♪Heart's flame illuminates all solitude♪

♪Let time's sails drift endlessly♪

♪Through wandering exile♪

♪Breaking free from the cocoon, I start anew♪

♪Moon as song, life as flame♪

♪Nameless heart clings fiercely♪

♪Let me♪

♪Charge toward the next raging river♪

♪Moon darts, snow falls♪

♪We tread rugged paths to reunite♪

♪Hands held tight♪

♪We forever live for love's sake♪

♪Shadow's spear burns fiercely♪

=Legend of The Female General=

=Episode 21=

Here comes our female general!

- Welcome. - Come on.

- Have a seat. - Come on.

Come on, sit.

- Come on. - Take a seat.

- Alright, let's sit. - Over here.

Sit here.

Thank you.

Now that I've seen you,

I can boast to my friends.

I didn't know

I had become so popular.

This is nothing.

People on the street

will shower you with flowers.

Nowadays in Jiyang,

the one most admired

is Her Highness,

and the second

would be you.

- Exactly. - Yeah.

But Her Highness is above us,

while you're among us,

which makes us believe

that women can achieve greatness, too.

You ladies

are no less capable than men.

You may not have fought

on the frontline, but your deeds

boosted our morale tremendously.

We simply did small things

under the protection

of frontline warriors like you.

It's nothing.

No deed is too small.

Everyone has their strengths.

As long as we act with benevolence

and righteousness,

we all deserve respect.

Besides,

women enjoy

a higher status in Jiyang

thanks to Her Highness.

You ladies must

showcase your talents even more.

You're right.

I've always wanted

to take the imperial exam.

But I never took the exam,

for fear of being judged.

Next year, I'll give it a try

to leave no regrets.

I wish you success in the exams.

A general and a scholar.

I admire you.

Meanwhile, I only

want to do business.

Most look down on merchants,

but merchants can

sustain themselves.

Exquisite embroidery.

That's Min'er's starting fund.

That's why she did her best.

Don't listen to her.

Miss Wang is getting married.

We're making small items for her.

However,

the groom's embroidered pouch

is hers to make.

Every stitch carries her affection.

We mustn't do it for her.

Miss Yan,

I want to make a pouch too.

Would you teach me?

It's for General Fengyun, isn't it?

Let's teach our general.

- Yeah. - Let's teach her.

- Come on. - Let me show you.

Insert the needle from below upwards.

Like this.

Done.

Let's see.

Let's see.

Needlework takes practice.

- Yeah. - I can teach you

step by step.

Yeah.

What about this?

Well...

If it's not working,

we can try something else.

How about cooking?

General Fengyun would be deeply moved

if you cooked for him in person.

But

I've never cooked before.

I can't just make plain porridge.

Make some plain noodles.

That's the easiest.

Yeah, plain noodles.

We can teach you

all the recipes.

Give it a try.

Yeah.

- You got this. - You got this.

- Try it. - Come on.

Yeah.

Commander.

You've been sorting out

Jiyang's military affairs for days.

You must have been tired.

I can't starve you.

Commander, look.

I made the noodles myself.

Commander, please do me a favor

and try it.

Please.

Why did you want to cook?

I just wanted to do something for you.

(How much salt did you put in this?)

Commander.

Is it good?

Yeah.

Seems like I have

some talent in cooking, more or less.

Seeing you enjoy it so much,

I'm getting hungry.

Let me...

You were saying...?

No...

Nothing.

If you like it so much,

I'll make more tomorrow.

What's wrong?

I'm checking for holes.

If there are any,

I can mend them.

I don't think it's torn anywhere.

Commander, I'll head back.

Rest early.

Commander.

Did you hear

a tearing sound?

No.

No?

How did my sleeve get torn?

Yeah, it's torn.

Hurry and take it off.

Come on.

What...?

Is it necessary?

It's fine. Take it off.

No need, seriously.

Take it off.

Do you think

he misunderstood something?

Why is he so flustered?

What's the rush?

Is something wrong?

Commander.

Chai Anxi woke up.

Mr. Chai.

When Wutuo attacked Jiyang,

you could've fled amid the chaos,

yet you stayed,

showing a resolve to protect the people.

But why

did you betray my father

and Wei?

I didn't betray Wei.

I never betrayed Wei.

I didn't expect it.

I just wanted Xiao Zhongwu dead.

I wanted him dead.

My father treated you well.

Why did you do that?

Is there something we don't know?

Feel free to speak.

We'll plead your case before His Majesty.

He treated me well?

That's because he felt guilty.

He killed my son.

My son had just reached adulthood.

As far as I know,

your son

died on the battlefield.

As a soldier, you should know

that war is merciless.

When soldiers march to war,

they embrace death without regrets.

Why would you think

that General Xiao

killed your son?

If Xiao Zhongwu hadn't been warlike,

my son

wouldn't have died.

If he truly died in battle,

as his father,

I'd be immensely proud.

But he died

under Xiao Zhongwu's

petty schemes.

You were supposed to

lead the vanguard at Yanshan.

Why was my son

sent as the vanguard in the end?

He never returned,

yet you built your fame.

You earned your glory by stepping

on my son's corpse.

I remember that battle.

A total of 216

Xiao Army soldiers

died on the battlefield.

Even though they knew

before setting out

that this battle

would likely be fatal,

they still volunteered to fight.

Your son,

Captain Chai Qian,

was one of them.

Do you know

we encountered Wutuo cavalry

on the way to Yanshan?

With 1,000 soldiers,

we fought against 5,000 enemies.

I couldn't reach Yanshan in time.

Your son volunteered

to lead the remaining 215 Xiao Army troops

to Yanshan,

sacrificing themselves to turn the tide.

You're lying.

Mr. Chai.

As a deputy general,

how could you distrust the commander

who had fought

alongside you for years?

And as a father,

why did you underestimate

the son you raised yourself?

Here is the petition

signed by

all 216 Xiao Army soldiers.

(Petition)

Qian,

you volunteered to fight?

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I wronged General Xiao.

I wronged all the soldiers

of the Xiao Army.

General Chai.

You already regret it.

Then tell us the truth.

In the Mingshui Battle, the commander died,

and 30,000 soldiers perished.

Was it fate

or a setup?

Beware of He Rufei.

He told me to hold back General Xiao's plea for help

for a few days.

Beware of whom?

He Rufei.

Mr. Chai.

Was anyone else involved?

I only had contact with He Rufei.

But I'm sure someone in the capital was involved.

He sounded like

someone highly influential.

Who could be

more influential than Xu Jingfu

in the court?

Congratulations

(Li Kuang, Eight Warriors of Fuyue Army) on being entitled General Feihong.

He Rufei.

It's you.

In the Mingshui Battle,

you made me hold back

General Xiao's plea for help,

killing General Xiao

and 30,000 Xiao Army soldiers.

No, I'm not He Rufei.

You're not He Rufei?

Are you He Yan

or He Rufei?

(Beware of He Rufei.)

(He made me hold back)

(General Xiao's plea for help)

(for a few days.)

(The "He Rufei" Chai Anxi mentioned)

(should be me.)

(But I never)

(saw him in private.)

(The one who contacted him)

(must have been the real He Rufei.)

(Therefore,)

(He Rufei must have)

(colluded with Xu Jingfu long ago.)

(But why did he scheme against the Xiao Army?)

(Was my death)

(also part of the scheme?)

(No wonder Xiao Jue)

(took the Qinglang Sword)

(and was quite)

(defensive against me)

(at Yezhou Garrison,)

(suspecting)

(that I was a spy.)

(But he didn't know)

(that the He Rufei he knew)

(was not the He Rufei)

(who contacted Chai Anxi.)

(Anyway,)

(I must uncover the truth.)

(Huaijin deserves)

(an explanation.)

Young Master, you're back.

What did Chai Anxi say?

Is Chancellor Xu involved in the Mingshui defeat?

Since you've obtained an answer,

I'll kill Chai Anxi now

to complete the mission.

No.

He can't die yet.

Where's Xiao Jue?

Went to see Her Highness.

In that case,

we should bid her farewell.

I didn't expect that you're also leaving Jiyang.

Unfortunately,

we're going different ways.

We're bound to meet

in the imperial court again.

Commander's right.

Why did you

ask to speak in private,

even without He Yan?

I need

your help with something.

What is it?

He Yan

joined my ranks

disguised as a man.

You know best

what restrictions women face.

He Yan is patriotic

and has military prowess.

But her true identity

brings unnecessary complications.

Therefore,

she disguised herself as a man

to serve in the army.

We do need to

address this issue.

But it's not time yet.

So please help

keep her secret.

General Fengyun, rest assured.

You saved Jiyang.

We Jiyang people

won't let our saviors face any trouble.

Thank you.

Xiao Jue.

He Yan is Buwang's only disciple.

Though jade needs grinding to glow,

I won't allow

any man to bully or hurt her.

Jiyang will always be her maiden home.

Don't worry.

I'll keep your secret

even after I go back to the capital.

Thank you, Mr. Chu.

What a pity that you can't

take credit for this.

As long as Jiyang's safe.

Mr. Chu.

Let's stop here.

I was in the army.

Night walks don't scare me.

Actually,

I just wanted to walk with you.

You still call me "Mr. Chu."

That eases my mind.

I didn't know that Commander Xiao would

suspect my master.

By the way,

Yingxiang is holding

the mermaid-silk gown you gave me.

She will take it to your room.

Thank you.

Mr. Chu.

As Xu Jingfu's prized disciple,

you must know

more than you claim

about his dealings.

The real question is

how involved you were.

But you stood with Jiyang in crisis.

I believe

that you would never commit treason.

I hope you'll stop working

for the villain.

Master is a loyal man.

How can I believe

that he'd frame patriots

for no reason?

But Chai Anxi's detailed account

sowed doubts in me...

Never mind.

No matter what lies ahead,

I seek only to act without regret or guilt.

Then I wish you

a safe journey.

Miss He,

you truly stand apart from other women.

They

lack your resilience.

What they desire

is merely to find a match

for marital bliss and peaceful living.

Mr. Chu, your words

sound rather condescending.

How come?

Men can study literature,

join the military,

or become physicians and merchants.

Yet from birth,

women are expected to be virtuous and demure,

learn needlework and etiquette,

all for marital servitude and child-rearing.

Whether they want it matters not.

Because all this

is deemed natural and rightful.

I was small-minded.

Miss He,

as a woman,

you empathize

with women's plight.

You dare to pioneer paths

others dare not tread.

I truly admire you.

You find me different

because I've studied,

ventured out,

and even defied conventions by joining the military,

as others might call it.

Yet how many women

share my experiences?

If they too

could witness

Yezhou's snows,

Jiyang's waters,

desert moons,

and mountain ranges,

tell me,

would they still tolerate

being confined to petty domestic squabbles?

Would they still wallow in melancholy

and self-pity?

I wish to blaze

a different trail for you.

What do you think

of this proposal?

I need no one

to blaze a trail

on my behalf.

What I truly desire

is someone who'll walk beside me

to blaze a trail together.

Then who do you think

could

blaze a trail with you?

Could it be

Commander Xiao?

Commander.

You came back alone

just to bid him farewell?

Commander.

Chai Anxi

is dead.

We maintained complete perimeter security

without lapse.

After nightfall,

some cleaners passed through

and suddenly attacked.

We fought fiercely

but failed to stop them.

Commander.

I've failed my duty.

Please punish me.

You did your best.

Cheng Lisu and Song Taotao

must be treating the injured.

Seek their medical aid.

Understood.

Commander, look.

This token bears Wutuo's lion emblem.

These assassins

could be Wutuo soldiers.

Wutuo soldiers?

Haven't they retreated after the defeat?

Mr. Chu,

you don't know anything about it?

Commander Xiao.

What do you mean?

Haven't I been

with you the whole time?

Chu Zhao is Xu Jingfu's prized disciple.

Are you suspecting him?

The role he has played in this

remains unclear.

But mobilizing Wutuo troops

is beyond his current capabilities.

Commander.

Come in.

Commander.

I'm back.

Commander.

I've been thinking.

We can't just let it slide.

Shall we rush

to the capital to confront Xu Jingfu?

How can we confront him

without

our key witness?

But

we have some other leads.

At least, we've confirmed

that He Rufei

was indeed involved.

Xu Jingfu is a cunning old fox.

Then let's

look into He Rufei.

Find out how those two

were connected

before Mingshui.

Understood.

No wonder Mr. Cheng

keeps calling

He Rufei ungrateful.

General Xiao treated him so well

and gifted him the Qinglang Sword.

But in the end,

he betrayed us.

Anything else?

If not,

I'll take my leave.

Young Master.

Who sent those assassins?

Master, naturally.

I delayed taking action.

Master ran out of patience

and sent assassins.

All I had to do

was to stay out of it.

So I went to see Her Highness

to establish an alibi.

(But the truth must also surface.)

So I left behind evidence

to guide Xiao Jue.

Just like that,

Xiao Jue will suspect Chancellor Xu.

But he is in the capital.

Wouldn't Xiao Jue suspect

that you did it on behalf of the Chancellor?

No, he wouldn't.

Xiao Jue knows full well

that Master would never hand me evidence of colluding

with Wutuo people.

So, I couldn't possibly

mobilize Wutuo troops.

Even without Chai Anxi's testimony,

Xiao Jue will find other means

to fight Master

and He Rufei to the end.

A pity indeed for Chai Anxi,

once a valiant warrior,

now brought to such an end.

Young Master.

Chai Anxi was killed by Wutuo soldiers.

Will Chancellor Xu blame you

for failing his orders?

Gain and loss must balance. Only thus endures.

Had I followed his orders,

we'd miss the secrets.

These secrets

and Sun Xiangfu's ledger

prove that Master has betrayed Wei.

(Cui Mansion)

Commander Xiao, Miss He.

Mr. Cheng, Miss Song.

Take care.

I don't know

when we'll meet again.

You repelled the Wutuo army

and saved us.

We appreciate it.

(Great Virtue)

Yan.

We'll pass through Chonghuai.

Shall we make a stop

and have fun for a few days?

(Wangjiang House)

Passing through Chonghuai,

I finally get to see

the renowned Wangjiang House.

Did you bring

enough money?

You wanted to come.

So, you're paying.

I suggested this trip to lift spirits

because Mr. He seemed troubled.

Once He cheers up,

Huaijin

will be happy too.

This place looks pricey.

Thank you, Mr. Cheng.

No problem.

Besides,

we can all chip in

if my money runs short.

Just like back at Ruyun House.

Right, Huaijin?

Leave me out of this.

The famous Ruyun House in the capital?

Why did you visit

without me?

Why would we take you?

You were just a kid.

How old were you?

(Guys,)

have you heard of Ruyun House?

Yaojing's biggest brothel.

I've been there.

It's overrated.

Young Master Yan is so experienced.

Of course.

You've been there?

No.

I lied.

Huaijin.

You woke up?

I heard Ruyun House

has a new songstress

named Hua Youxian.

Her stunning look

and heavenly voice

made her the top performer in a month.

Let's go hear her sing

after class.

Do you dare?

It's your turn now.

Tell you what...

Forget about Yan He.

He will brag about it

either way.

Let's go.

Only cowards back out.

He Rufei, you hear me?

Me too?

Let's go.

With the top student

Xiao Huaijin with us,

we won't be punished too harshly

even if we get caught.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Come on.

How do we sneak out?

He Rufei.

Keep up.

Don't be a coward.

Climb over here.

Careful.

- Thanks. - Let's go.

Someone's missing.

Where's He Rufei?

I'm here.

Pathetic.

Thank you.

You can't even

climb the wall?

I didn't want to come.

Yan He

dragged me along.

Also,

aren't you, the top student,

also sneaking off to the brothel?

What's wrong?

Ruyun House

has long intrigued me.

Yan.

You don't look well.

Didn't you sleep well?

It's fine.

It's just some memories resurfacing.

Is it about Mr. Liu?

I-I'll stop.

Ruyun House is fascinating.

Huaijin.

Remember our old friends?

(Wangjiang House)

Cheng Lisu.

This is...?

Huaijin.

You remember Yang Mingzhi?

(Yang Mingzhi, Magistrate of Chonghuai)

I'm Yang Mingzhi.

Greetings, General Fengyun.

Mingzhi now serves as Chonghuai's Magistrate.

We were classmates.

So I invited him here to catch up.

Are they enemies or something?

Back at Xianchang Academy,

they were close friends.

Yang Mingzhi

is the only son of the current Minister of War.

He passed the exams years ago,

yet somehow ended up

as a lowly magistrate in Chonghuai.

Why are they acting

like strangers now?

I'm also curious.

Gentlemen,

fate brought us together

at the academy.

Cleared up your misunderstandings.

Cheng Lisu,

you may not know.

There is no misunderstanding

between us.

Huaijin.

Rest assured.

I'll convince my father

to plead for General Xiao

and urge His Majesty

to find out the truth.

As the Minister of War,

my father

has certain influence.

Mingzhi.

Thank you.

Xiao Zhongwu, as the commander-in-chief,

was reckless,

leading our troops into an ambush.

He was too proud

to seek prompt rescue,

which caused huge casualties.

Xiao Zhongwu

is a sinner to Wei.

(Xiao Mansion)

Huaijin.

I broke my promise.

Sorry.

I forced this burden on you.

No need to apologize.

I heard you volunteered to go to Que City.

Word travels fast, it seems.

Are you insane?

I know you want to restore honor to your father

and the Xiao Army.

But it's too risky.

I've made up my mind.

Don't try to dissuade me.

Huaijin.

Have you ever thought

that perhaps

there's no hidden truth?

Maybe General Xiao...

Yang Mingzhi.

From now on,

stay out of my sight.

(Xiao Mansion)

Yeah.

No misunderstandings.

In the end,

I'm nothing

but an oath-breaker.

♪Light shines upon my heart♪

♪Unveiling scars, I choose to swim upstream♪

♪The resonance of courage rings loud and clear♪

♪It's the boldness that defines existence♪

♪I've seen the mountains♪

♪And trodden through ice♪

♪Day after day, I venture alone♪

♪Destiny is my creed♪

♪Ideals surge beneath the surface♪

♪Igniting the flame against the winds♪

♪A restless yearning in my soul♪

♪Gazing through the mire♪

♪Who cares about this boundless void♪

♪Charge ahead with blazing fervor♪

♪Stubbornly fighting with my life♪

♪Soaring across the world's expanse♪

♪There must always be a longing♪

♪Disregard the wounds to seek the light♪

♪Light shines upon my heart♪

♪Unveiling scars, I choose to swim upstream♪

♪The resonance of courage rings loud and clear♪

♪It's the boldness that defines existence♪

♪Chasing the light within my heart♪

♪Burying frailty, embracing life through death♪

♪You'll meet gazes where storms brew♪

♪With our unwavering true love, brave the world with me♪

♪Soaring across the world's expanse♪

♪There must always be a longing♪

♪Disregard the wounds to seek the light♪

♪Light shines upon my heart♪

♪Unveiling scars, I choose to swim upstream♪

♪The resonance of courage rings loud and clear♪

♪It's the boldness that defines existence♪

♪Chasing the light within my heart♪

♪Burying frailty, embracing life through death♪

♪You'll meet gazes where storms brew♪

♪With our unwavering true love, brave the world with me♪