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=

(Xianchang Academy)

Today

(Year 14 of Qingyuan, Wei, Xianchang Academy) marks your first enrollment.

I know

you come from privileged families

and have lived in comfort till now.

But at Xianchang Academy,

you must study diligently

day and night

to refine your talents through perseverance

and serve our nation well.

(Master Wei, Scholar of Xianchang Academy)

Young man,

what's your name?

Why do you keep wearing a mask?

Constantly hiding your true appearance

is rather rude, don't you think?

Master,

I am He Rufei.

My visage is unsightly,

and I fear startling others.

So I cannot remove this mask.

He's the Xiaos' second son?

His exceptionalness lives up

to his reputation!

Indeed.

I, Xiao Jue, apologize for being late.

Please forgive me.

=Episode 2=

(Cheng Lisu, Imperial Medical Bureau's Top Disciple)

The army doesn't tolerate

flashy things,

including you.

I traveled so far to join you.

You treat me like this?

You can go back for your arranged marriage.

If I could beat you,

I'd have...

beaten you senseless.

Feinu, escort Mr. Cheng out.

Understood.

Would you really

abandon your friend

in need?

Avoiding marriage

won't kill you.

At worst, they'll maim you.

Xiao Jue.

Commander.

Uncle.

We're about the same age.

But you're still my maternal uncle.

Please let me stay.

Okay?

Thank you.

(If you enlist as a woman,)

(it will remain a liability.)

(So I have prepared)

(for you)

(male identity papers)

(of He Yan.)

(He Yan's Household Register)

You're He Yan, right?

(Two names are different)

(in one character.)

(Master's foresight is thoughtful.)

To the left tent for screening.

Then to the right tent if you pass

to register

for uniforms and money.

Thank you.

Next.

Commander, what's screening?

Don't know what screening is?

It's simple.

Strip naked for the medic's exam.

If you're healthy,

you'll pass.

- Thanks. - Next.

The Gaoxia horse struggles

with the climate.

It hasn't eaten.

Examine it.

See what ails it.

What?

I, a future imperial physician,

am treating a horse?

As a healer,

shouldn't you treat all lives equally?

Besides, Yezhou Garrison keeps no idlers.

If you want to stay,

be useful.

Fortunately, this is a mare.

Helping it is acceptable.

I'd have declined

if it were a stallion.

Xiao Jue, watch closely.

I can both heal

and tame horses.

Look!

It's spooked!

It's coming!

Make way!

Move aside! Move!

Move aside!

That man's way of taming

is unique to the Fuyue Army.

He's He Rufei's man?

(No, I accidentally gave myself away.)

(Xiao Jue noticed it.)

Not bad.

He resembles my heroics in the past.

That move he just pulled

is way beyond your skills.

(Oh no.)

(Xiao Jue knows Fuyue Army's moves.)

(He definitely recognized it.)

(Yet he didn't react.)

(He took me)

(as He Rufei's man)

(and planned to act against me?)

Come on.

Let's continue.

Gather around!

Impressive.

You're small.

But you're quite good.

You flatter me.

My taming skills could

never match yours, Instructor.

Well...

The army needs

talents like you.

But

I haven't been screened yet.

Forget about it.

If you can tame such a horse,

your physique must be good.

I'll secure the horse.

Then let's handle the documents. Wait.

- Go. - Thank you.

So naughty.

Turn and slash!

Since you suspect him,

why not kill him directly

for good?

If he's truly a spy sent

by the ill-intended one,

killing one will

only bring replacements.

Rather than endless trouble,

it's better to keep him

to potentially lure out the mastermind.

I wonder

whether the mastermind is He Rufei

or Xu Jingfu.

You said

before your father's campaign,

he impeached the prime minister.

Within days,

he fell into an ambush

at Mingshui.

He Rufei's troops

were a hundred li away,

but arrived only

on day seven after your father

sent the letter.

It was intentional.

I think

they are birds of a feather.

But we lack concrete evidence.

We can't prove

the defeat at Mingshui

relates to Xu Jingfu and He Rufei.

Nor can we prove

their collusion.

Now the Xiao Army is weakened

and disliked by His Majesty.

We can only investigate covertly.

With troop shortages here

and low funds,

building a competent new army

is highly challenging.

Investigate that man thoroughly.

I want to know

whose pawn he is.

Understood.

(Xu Mansion)

(Chu Zhao, Disciple of Xu Jingfu)

Master.

Regarding the Que City mission,

you've worked hard.

As ordered,

I monitored Xiao Jue in Que City.

The battle was unwinnable,

yet no one anticipated

his ruthless tactic

of flooding Que City

to force a reversal.

Pity

those countless lost souls.

Zilan,

ensure that Xiao Jue's

flooding of Que City

and mass slaughter of tens of thousands

are publicly exposed

to expose his infamy to the world.

His Majesty's wariness

toward him will grow even deeper.

Though victorious,

he was promoted in name but demoted in reality.

He was sent to Yezhou Garrison.

Even with his conscription rights restored,

that desolate wasteland

could never yield decent soldiers.

Moreover,

I discovered in Que City

a fish that slipped through the net.

I've positioned him as a hidden pawn

in our strategy.

Given time,

he'll become an unstoppable vanguard.

Great.

Focus on recovering these coming days.

Soon,

you'll be entrusted

with greater tasks.

Understood.

Chu Zhao.

(Xu Pingting, Daughter of Xu Jingfu) You're back! Did you bring me a gift?

Your impudence grows by the day.

Father.

I'd never forget.

What fragrance is this?

Try it to find out.

Try it with me.

Go ahead.

Then I'll graciously accept.

Let's go.

What's wrong with this tinderbox?

Let me try.

Stop it.

Light it with the candle.

Burn him! Burn him!

(Burn him!)

Let me see.

You're injured.

Are you okay?

It's nothing.

Just got burned.

My grip slipped.

Young Master,

your injury...

(Yingxiang, Chu Zhao's maid) I know you wounded your left arm

intentionally.

But...

I've failed my duties.

And I was also injured by refugees.

I feel ashamed, Master.

You're being too harsh with yourself.

To earn Master's favor,

sacrifices must be made.

(A bandit?)

(Wang Ba, Yezhou Garrison recruit)

Move!

(Zheng Xuan, Yezhou Garrison recruit)

(Face-tattooing punishment?)

(He was a convict)

(and a rogue.)

Boss, your tea.

Well-mannered.

It's tiring.

(Jiang Jiao, Yezhou Garrison recruit)

(Escort Agency)

(Former escort agency member?)

(He must be skilled.)

Look away!

Pretty boy.

(Paler than me.)

(How dare he judge me?)

I used to think

(Mai, Yezhou Garrison recruit) I was the shortest one here

in the camp.

But now

you're almost as short as me.

Alright.

We together eat more

to grow taller.

By the way, what's your name?

He Yan.

Then I'll call you He.

Agreed.

I'm Mai.

I was a farmer.

Sleep here.

(Huang Xiong, Yezhou Garrison recruit)

(This one was a hunter.)

(A killer wearing prayer beads.)

(Interesting.)

Thanks.

He,

you'll sleep here tonight.

- Okay. - Let me help.

No need.

You claim hostility with Xiao Jue,

yet you know

the Que City battle

left his reputation in ruins.

Aren't you afraid

to be implicated by him

or slandered?

Master,

I don't believe

Xiao Jue would flood Que City

just for an easy victory.

Nor would he

sacrifice all the people of Que City

as stepping stones

to pave his path to military glory.

Most importantly,

the Xiao Army urgently needs new recruits right now.

This way I can stand out quicker

and prove myself.

(The snoring chorus is impressive.)

(I last heard this long ago.)

He,

you're up so early.

Nature called.

Mr. Shen.

- Mr. Shen. - Mr. Shen.

(Shen Han, Head Instructor of Yezhou Garrison)

What guy...

Mr. Shen.

Good morning, Commander.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

Good morning.

Up already?

He woke up from nature's call, Commander.

Everyone!

Gather at the training field

and have ten weighted laps around the barracks!

Not a single lap less.

Wait, ten...

Ten laps?

Why?

It was all because of you!

You had to be an early riser

with no team spirit!

- Selfish worm! - Yes, selfish.

Go home if you want to sleep in.

We're in the army.

You...

Boss! Boss!

If you don't get out now,

you'll be punished harder.

Don't be mad.

Stay calm.

He,

I'm afraid I won't

keep up with the training.

Don't worry.

Recruit training

is always gradual.

Day One will be simple.

I can't go on.

I can't go on. I really can't.

On your feet!

Five more laps!

Come on, He.

I'll count to three.

Two, three!

Watch it.

One, two, three.

Let's go.

(I didn't know)

(how Xiao Jue trained his men.)

(I have finally seen it now.)

(It starts so intense right away.)

(Xiao Jue)

(has such a pretty face,)

(but he's truly vicious,)

(just like before.)

(I thought I could earn merits)

(and rise quickly.)

(But Xiao Jue)

(is hard on others)

(and harder on himself.)

(It seems serving under him won't)

(let me rise)

(as easily as I hoped.)

(Severely injured and then poisoned,)

(in bed for a month.)

(It nearly drained all my strength.)

(I can't go on like this.)

Commander, it's only the first day.

Aren't you pushing them too hard?

Mr. Shen,

these recruits

are either country folk

or bandits and thugs.

Like with that horse,

the Commander's harsh methods

aren't about

breaking their spirit.

He's testing their potential.

Mr. Cheng, you know

our Commander well.

Isn't he the horse-taming prodigy

from yesterday?

Why is everyone else

on their seventh lap

while he started his fourth?

In my opinion,

he's lacking in potential.

Don't speak

of my savior that way.

So what if he is?

He could still

make a good army cook.

Army cook?

You underestimate him.

I actually think

he's perfect

scout material.

Now we'll learn to use various weapons.

I can barely stand.

He,

why is your sword so short?

It's not even arm's length.

It's twin blades.

Not a sword,

but a pair.

W-What twin blades?

Real men use this.

So flashy.

Exactly.

Sounds like useless decoration.

- Good. - Not bad.

He's got skills.

That should be one technique.

That's sad.

He can't fight properly.

I'm exhausted. Need a break.

He's decent.

- Good! - Good!

(Lei Hou, Yezhou Garrison recruit) Impressive!

- Good! - Good!

That's real skill.

A-Are you staring or fighting?

Move back. My turn first.

Impressive!

- Amazing! - Amazing!

Your turn.

Hurry up.

We're on the clock here.

Draw it back.

Come on.

No need.

I can't pull

this bow.

His stance looked decent.

This bow requires real strength.

We can't blame He Yan.

He,

he excels at everything.

We need to work harder.

Block!

Retract!

Again.

Strike!

Thrust!

Block!

Retract!

Again.

Strike!

Thrust!

Block!

What's funny?

Pick it up. Keep going.

A pretty face with nothing.

All show, no skill.

Retract!

Regardless,

he picked up the spear.

That's commendable.

What did you find about He Yan?

He's from a gatekeeper's family

in Jiazhou.

No prior military history.

No suspicious family connections.

Currently,

his background checks out.

Yet he's skilled in horsemanship

and knows military routines well.

He's clearly a seasoned

soldier.

But during drills,

he performs pathetically.

I'm quite curious.

Is he faking it

or truly useless?

The others?

Commander,

recruits have diverse backgrounds.

Some have

dubious pasts.

But the only one who faked it

is this person.

Send two teams from Mingshui.

One to Jiazhou

and one to Que City.

Investigate this impostor thoroughly.

The rest

continue investigating in Mingshui.

As you command.

(Longevity of Cranes and Pines)

(Song Wan, Xiao Jue's Mother)

What's that smell?

It seems to be

from the mountain pass.

The smell of sulfur?

A hot spring?

(But, Sister,)

(the achievements you have today)

are entirely due to

your identity as the He family's legitimate heir.

(Even with the name He Rufei,)

as a woman,

how could you

(achieve such accomplishments and reputation?)

(Those were all earned)

(through my pain, blood, and tears.)

(The He family's heir)

(are just empty words.)

(What's mine)

(can't be taken away.)

Only months have passed.

But it feels like a lifetime ago.

In my past life, I hid in shadows.

Only the moon saw my true face.

In this life,

I can finally

fight with honor.

(With this hot spring)

(and proper training,)

(I should recover completely)

(in a few days.)

♪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♪