General and I (A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to Be Appreciated / 孤芳不自赏)

I don't care what it is you are after.

If you collaborate with me, you must agree to my condition.

Do tell.

I want Bai Ping Ting dead.

According to what I know

Your Highness and Bai Ping Ting are childhood sweethearts.

Your Highness mustn't get too soft-hearted.

Your Highness.

It's dark and windy at night.

I shall hold the lamp for Noble Consort Zhang.

Don't worry.

I have made arrangements.

He has passed out?

- Wake him up. - Yes.

Prince of Zhenbei.

We meet again.

Prince of Zhenbei is at least quite a noble yourself.

Why would you rather suffer in here?

As long as you come clean with your sins of poisoning the princes

I can get you moved to a more comfortable location.

You won't have to suffer in here.

I want to see His Majesty.

His Majesty has already entrusted this case to me entirely.

Just tell me whatever you wish to say to him.

A dog...

Is a dog even fit to listen to what I have to say?

You...

What an atrocious traitor!

You take advantage of your meritorious military services

to disregard the existence of the king.

You've become too arrogant!

Now that you have murdered the princes and committed a deadly sin

you still show no remorse at all.

- Guards! - Present!

Beat him.

- Hit him heavily! - Yes!

Hit him!

Keep hitting hard!

Hit him until he confesses his crime!

The Queen arrives!

Your Majesty.

Queen, what brings you here?

You are all dismissed now.

Yes.

Queen.

You're unwell.

Why would you still make such a formal greeting?

Quickly. Get up now.

Your Majesty.

I have a few words to say.

Your Majesty, please allow me to speak my mind.

Go ahead.

Our sons died young.

I suffer such great agony.

I wish more than anyone else to seize the culprit who killed them.

But when I think about it carefully

there are many questionable points in this case.

It was only testimony of a mere eunuch sent by Liang State

that had Prince of Zhenbei accused of

conspiring with foreigners to usurp your throne.

That is just baffling.

If it were me who wanted to plot against you

I'd never act so recklessly or let someone find evidence.

Prince of Zhenbei is one who could have victories at his beck and call.

Yet in a conspiracy amidst the harem

how could he have acted so foolishly?

Your Majesty.

This case matters greatly.

Please handle it very cautiously.

Queen.

Are you speaking up for Chu Bei Jie?

That is not my intention.

Your Majesty.

I just want to seek out the true murderer of my sons.

If we let the true culprit get away and end up killing a loyal subject

I'm afraid that we'll have fallen into the trap of a vicious traitor.

It would only cause grief to our friends and please our enemies.

The loyal and patriotic subjects would then be disappointed in us.

Our people would no longer be in favor of Your Majesty.

Queen.

You have lost your beloved sons.

Do you not hate Chu Bei Jie?

If both princes were still alive

Chu Bei Jie could only be a veteran official of a new reign.

However, the imperial court is now greatly unstable.

If Chu Bei Jie chose to take the throne

his military power and numerous meritorious services

would make it easy for him to uproot the very fundamentals of Great Jin State.

Queen.

Will you still speak up for him now?

It is because of Bai Ping Ting

that Chu Bei Jie defied my orders again and again.

He is no longer faithful to Great Jin.

Your Majesty.

Could you not give Bei Jie one more chance?

Let him explain himself.

It has already come to such...

I...

Will you still plead for him?

Your Majesty!

Our sons are dead.

Bei Jie is now your only kin in this world now.

Have you forgotten about that?

Queen?

Queen!

Queen, are you all right?

Anyone? Send for the imperial physician!

- Yes! - Queen!

Queen, are you all right?

Your Majesty.

Don't let anger cloud your judgment.

Now that the world is in chaos

Liang State won't be the only one who wants us destroyed by civil unrest.

Queen.

You've always been frail.

You shouldn't worry so much.

I know what to do.

Your Majesty.

[Memorial tablet of Great Jin's Queen Dowager Ren De]

Mother.

What am I to do now?

Chu Yu greets Your Majesty.

Greetings to Queen Dowager.

Is he called Bei Jie?

Come here.

Come and let me have a look at you.

Go on.

Let me see.

High brows, long eyes. Bright-eyed.

What a lovely face.

Your Majesty, this child is hungry.

Take him to get some food.

Yes, Mother.

Come here. Come with me.

Stop kneeling there. It's cold on the ground.

Get up now.

I have sinned. I dare not get up.

Queen Dowager saved me from being sacrificed in the burial.

I should have stayed hidden from sight forever.

However, the people of my clan refused to take me in.

Life has been very tough.

If it were just me, I'd rather die than bother Queen Dowager again.

However, Bei Jie is the child of the Sima royal family.

I beg Queen Dowager to spare him for the sake of the bloodline he carries.

Please take him in.

Here, get up now.

It has been hard on you all these years.

Back then, the late king listed you as one of his burial sacrifices.

It was only before the burial that I discovered your pregnancy.

I took the risk of swapping you with a corpse

and had you sent back to the Western Regions.

Afterward, I also sent my men out to search for you

but then you had already moved with your tribesmen

and all traces were lost.

Even the scouts couldn't track you down.

I thought that I'd never see you again.

Now that you are here...

But this child has returned at a bad time.

Queen Dowager has a heart of gold. I shall never forget my gratitude.

I'll do everything to repay you in the next lifetime.

Queen Dowager, please take in my child.

I could do so, but on two conditions.

If you can't accept them, I won't take him in.

I will go to whatever lengths to fulfill your orders.

First, this child can't take the name of Sima.

He can't be listed on the royal family tree.

But I can adopt him as my godson.

From now on, I will raise him.

As long as he can stay alive

Queen Dowager can decide whatever name he takes.

Second, this matter must be kept confidential.

When I sent you back to the Western Regions

I never intended to have you return.

The king is my only son.

Great Jin State knows only one king.

If you want me to adopt your son, you have to set my mind at ease.

Chu Yu, do you understand?

I understand.

Please rest assured, Queen Dowager.

Mother.

You look so pretty today!

So do you.

Teeny Tiny.

Would you like to go fly a kite with me?

Yes!

Wait!

Mother, we're going to play outside.

Can you play the zither for us?

My mother plays the zither especially well.

Enough talking! Hurry up!

It's flying so high up!

Look!

Fly it even higher!

It's so high up!

Mother!

Mother!

Mother, why would you do this?

Bei Jie is still a child!

I did it all for your sake.

You have just succeeded the throne and the imperial court is still stable.