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

Don't make any sound.

Or I'll kill you.

Are you set up for matchmaking with General Chu Bei Jie?

Yes.

Do you already have someone else on your mind?

You're not willing to marry Chu Bei Jie?

No, no!

Young Master Chen is waiting for you at the river by Banshan Temple.

- You'd better go to him. - Yes.

But...

I still have to play the zither.

I'll play the zither for you.

You'd better discuss with Young Master Chen what you should do next.

I understand.

Young Master Chen must have sent you to rescue me.

Yes.

You'd better hurry up.

Thank you for helping me, lady warrior.

Could she be dead?

She's not. She's only passed out.

You'd better get going.

I'll get going now.

A bosom friend of the same taste in music is hard to find.

The tune clearly reveals the gloominess.

Young lady, you play the zither like no one else.

However, why is there a touch of sadness in your notes?

This tune, "Longshuo," was composed by Lady Zhao Jun

when she missed her hometown while she was away at the border.

It's only normal that it delivers a sense of sorrow of being away from home.

When the heart is in sorrow, the music played is depressing.

The sound of the zither reflects that of one's mind.

Do you also carry sorrow in your heart?

One plays without any intention

but the one who listens overinterprets it.

Who in this world has no sorrow?

Why would a stranger probe into someone else's mind?

Young Master, you seem to know a bit about music.

Unfortunately, you behaved too frivolously.

What a sharp tongue.

I am Chu Bei Jie. May I ask if I could get to see you in person today?

I know that you're a great hero.

You have fought hard in battles for years

and rendered great military services to Great Jin State.

However, we are total strangers.

Moreover, we are alone here in this room.

I'm afraid that it's inappropriate for us to meet today without a chaperone.

That is most reasonable.

I won't impose on you since we're not meant to meet today.

I'll be sure to send a visiting card to your residence to see you.

By then, I hope that you'd give me the honor of talking to you.

I take my leave.

Please halt, General.

I have a question that I've long been meaning to ask.

I could seek no answer for it.

Since I've now come across General Chu, I have to speak my mind.

What is the question?

You lost without a fight at the Battle of Puban City.

It's very bizarre.

It seems that the battle wasn't what you set out for.

Who would have expected you to know

affairs of the world when raised in private quarters?

My father is very knowledgeable and I've heard about it from him.

I'd like to hear your opinion.

In the Battle of Puban City, Young Prince of Jing An took on

your 100,000 men with his 8,000 men.

However, he actually won and returned to Changzi City.

On the same day, he was convicted of treason by King of Yan.

In a matter of hours, Prince of Jing An and his household were all wiped out.

These two events seem to be somehow related.

Miss Hua seems to think differently from others.

Should Young Prince of Jing An be alive

would you have him killed?

Is there a reason not to kill him?

Of course.

I believe that you didn't kill Prince of Jing An's entire clan

out of your personal interest.

You must have done so to put an end

to the suffering of Yan State and Jin State's people.

If peace could really be attained between Yan State and Jin State

Prince of Jing An's Manor would have been sacrificed for a worthy cause.

You'd be considered a hero who blessed the people with peace.

However, I've heard that Great Jin State

is recruiting soldiers for the second time

to prepare for a northern conquest.

If you couldn't stop this conquest

what you did was but a massacre of innocent lives.

With every person of Yan State you kill

the more hatred you build up between both states.

Prince of Jing An's family no longer exists in Yan State.

Why can't Chu Bei Jie stop killing?

It is you.

It really is you.

I knew that you are no mute.

But I didn't expect you to be so witty and sharp-tongued.

The valiant Prince of Zhenbei dressed up as some wealthy young master?

That is not so easy to pull off.

How did you know that I would be here?

Is it so hard to get information from your manor?

You really are very smart.

If I'm right, you must be the skilled strategist

who commanded the battle of Puban City

on the city walls with your zither playing.

Do you have an alternative plan in mind before you negotiate with me?

Jingsi Tower is already surrounded by the archers I hired.

If you were to leave here alone

you wouldn't have a chance with all the arrows launched at you.

What do you have in mind?

I just want you to make me a promise.

Let He Xia off.

A promise?

You mean to say that I'm already at your mercy?

Have you recovered from your injury?

You...

You're such a troublemaker.

Young Prince of Jing An, we meet again.

How is that young lady related to you?

You're not fit to know about her.

No one in my family fears death. Do whatever you wish with me!

Leave.

I will let you off just this once.

Why?

You're not fit to know about it either.

Could it be because of her?

How are you related to her?

You're not leaving?

Before I change my mind...

Chu Bei Jie, bear this in mind.

You will surely regret that you let me off today.

Where is that man?

If you really had hired archers

the outcome of our combat would have been different.

What have you done to him?

As you wished.

I let him go.

You're so bold.

You dare to approach me alone.

Are you really not worried that you'd be killed?

Since I'm already here, I never thought of making it back alive.

All you have left is courage.

If you wish so much to help others

shouldn't you take better care of yourself?

I've said it.

Since I've saved your life, you're mine.

You are not to die if I won't allow it.

What other tricks do you have?

Unleash them all!

A bird would fly home at sunset even if it is exhausted.

However beautiful the scenery, it changes in a fleeting moment.

What is beautiful today might no longer be tomorrow.

You're still worried about He Xia?

General, you have kept your promise and let Young Prince of Jing An go.

I'm deeply grateful.

Just this once.

I only did it for your sake.

Who can tell what the future holds?

I'll take you to a place.

Where is it?

Who can tell what the future holds?

Don't you think that we have met somewhere in the past?

General, you would actually start off with such a remark

at the sight of such beautiful scenery?

Is that not done in poor taste?

Did you travel with your father beyond the Great Wall when you were young?

I am but a maidservant in Prince of Jing An's Manor.

I grew up in the manor.

I do not know who my parents were.

Prince of Jing An and Supreme Princess might be my masters

but I did regard them as otherwise.

I saw them as my parents.

Although I'm grateful to you for sparing my young master's life today

I will never forgive you for what you did to his entire family.

Once I get the chance, I will still kill you.

Even if you don't get a chance, I will make you one.

I look forward to seeing you each time.

Allow me to thank General in advance then.

You don't seem like an ordinary maidservant.

Is that so?

My robe is torn. If you wish to thank me, shouldn't you demonstrate your sincerity?

You carry your sewing kit with you?

Yes.

Our young master was very mischievous when he was a child.

His clothes would often rip.

That's why I'd bring my sewing kit with me to patch his clothes up.

As time went by, I got used to it.

He Xia is one fortunate man.

He actually had a clever, loyal, and thoughtful person by his side.

Return one's favor with favor.

My masters were kind to me.

I'm just repaying their kindness.

Speaking of which, I have someone to whom I owe my gratitude as well.

I just don't know if I'd ever get a chance to repay her in this lifetime.

Let's go.

How do I get down?

On your own.

You didn't really bring me here for the scenery.

You just want to dump me here.

All right then.

Since you patched up my robe, I'll take you home.

Take me home?

What home?