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

I've been away from Bai Lan State for a long time.

General.

You were right about everything you said today.

I am indeed very troubled.

It might be a lot more complicated in Yun-An Palace than we think.

Your Highness can tell me anything on your mind.

You'll feel a lot more at ease after you talk about it.

My older brother just passed away.

Prime Minister Gui was very eager to have me back to govern the state.

Previously, my brother had been very harsh on him.

He is sure to use this opportunity to turn the situation around

and realize his own ambitions.

However, there are still many of my brother's supporters in court.

Even if I have no desire for power

they are still in a great panic.

Therefore, I'm afraid that my life in the palace will be...

Your Highness.

Look.

Your Bai Lan Empire...

How beautiful it is.

All these mountains and rivers are yours.

The people... and all the officials in the palace are also yours.

General, you mean...

For years, Bai Lan State was weak in military power and short of generals.

There was no chance of conquering other states.

At the moment, Your Highness does not yet have supporters.

You have to rely on the Gui family.

Hence, there's no room for civil unrest.

After Your Highness returns to the palace

there's one thing you must do well. Safeguard.

Safeguard your nation.

Safeguard your people.

Safeguard yourself.

Your Highness.

Is that not what you think?

How did you search?

Why would a human being just go missing like that?

None of you will get to live if you can't find the princess!

- Yes! - General Gui!

General Gui!

General, two horses are missing from the stables.

He Xia must have brought the princess with him.

I knew that guy must be up to no good.

Convey my orders. Seal off all gates that lead out of the state.

As long as they are in Bai Lan State

I don't believe that I can't catch them!

- Yes! - Princess!

Your Highness!

I woke up early and went for a stroll.

What made General Gui kick up such a huge fuss?

Your Highness will need protection when you're out and about.

I am in Bai Lan State.

I'm also protected by General He.

What is there to worry about?

Take a short break and we will head out afterward.

Yes.

Where have you been?

Why should I tell you?

I'm warning you.

Don't lay a finger on the princess.

You are but a homeless stray dog.

Her Highness just pities you.

It's still better than being disliked by her.

General Gui.

Before we enter Yun-An City, get rid of him.

He's quite skilled in martial arts.

- Don't take him by force. - Yes!

Great blessings to Your Highness.

It's just the two of us.

Why would Father stand on such ceremony?

Rise.

Yes.

The new azoth is taking effect.

That fatuous king's health is deteriorating day by day.

None of the imperial physicians could figure out the reason.

Chu Bei Jie is now away at war with Great Liang.

He isn't in the imperial court.

Why don't we use this opportunity to make a move right away?

Your Highness.

A person of great ambition has to remain calm and unflustered.

Father, you mean...

Think it over carefully.

Prince of Zhenbei might not be in the imperial court now

but he will return someday.

Even if we succeed in poisoning the king now

once Chu Bei Jie returns, he will surely target both of us.

We might have the upper hand now if we succeed in poisoning the king

but once Chu Bei Jie returns, we will still be defeated.

Therefore, our issue does not lie with His Majesty.

But Chu Bei Jie.

You're going to kill him?

Is there no other way?

It depends on whether Your Highness could persuade Chu Bei Jie

to work for us instead.

If not, it's inevitable to uproot our troubles once and for all.

Getting rid of Chu Bei Jie will indeed be quite tricky.

I told you so, didn't I?

If I had married Chu Bei Jie, why would you be troubled today?

In my current state, how am I to convince him to work for me?

What is it?

Have you already tried it?

What did Chu Bei Jie say?

Do you know how he insulted me?

Please appease your anger, Your Highness.

That was an ill-conceived plan of mine.

Your Highness was upset by it.

Now that Your Highness is of a prestigious status

it's a great honor for him that you stooped to ask him for a favor.

Chu Bei Jie didn't know any better.

He deserves to die.

Rest assured, Your Highness.

Leave it all to me.

Please read this, Your Highness.

This is...

King of Liang had someone send me a letter.

He has a brilliant idea.

Chu Bei Jie is currently at war with King of Liang.

This is the best time to take action.

I have already given orders to my men.

Don't worry, Your Highness.

You won't be implicated in any way.

I'm only telling you about it so that you're well informed.

When necessary, connect me to some people for this task.

Offer me some assistance.

Have someone do your dirty work?

My daughter...

There are some things you can't get by force.

Break it off when you should.

Kill when you should.

Your Highness.

Are you keeping it as evidence?

Chu Bei Jie.

You made me.

Miss Bai.

The army of Jin State has camped 50 miles southeast of here.

We have set up defenses in Kanbu City.

Even if Jin State attacks us now, we can fend them off for some time.

All soldiers of Kanbu City will do everything to safeguard the city.

We'll wait for your plan to succeed

and then the palace of Great Jin will be in chaos.

By then, Chu Bei Jie will retreat.

But it's been two days.

There's no news of Jin State's army.

Not even I can figure out what step he intends to take next.

Report!

Chief General. Miss Bai.

After our investigation, the army of Jin State rests at regular hours.

But a small troop of their scouts enters Dense Forest every morning

only to return late at night.

Dense Forest again.

Why would Chu Bei Jie send his men into Dense Forest?

Are there any books on Dense Forest and Kanbu City?

Yes.

I will have my men deliver them to you.

Dense Forest...

Chu Bei Jie does everything for a reason.

We mustn't let our guards down.

General, could you send a small troop into Dense Forest to investigate?

Sure. I'll send them to investigate right away.

Stop right there.

Why are there still so many books?

Miss Bai asked for them.

Put them there.

Miss Bai reads so quickly.

Exactly. It's 10 sentences in one glance.

You are dismissed.

You must stay alert.

Be sure to set up the defense well.

Yes.

General.

Is Miss Bai awake?

Miss Bai has been up all night.

What?

She stayed up all night?

I'm really worried that she might not withstand such stress.

I've found it!

I've figured it out!

It's poisonous bees!

- Poisonous bees? - Chief General, look.

It's recorded in the books.

There's a special poisonous bee in Dense Forest.

It's so poisonous that it could take lives.

It lives only in Dense Forest because of its favorite tri-blossom tree.

The poisonous leaves of tri-blossom trees can make the bees aggressive.

Yet the leaves can be made into an antidote for bee stings.

To take down the city, they just need to

shoot tri-blossom branches into Kanbu City

and release a huge swarm of poisonous bees.

More than half of our men would surely be injured or killed.

After the bees leave, the army of Jin will attack.

That will break down the last defense of Liang State's army.

In the past, anyone who wished to go through Dense Forest

would stew leaves of tri-blossom trees as an antidote

to prevent being attacked by the bees.

As long as the soldiers of Jin State take the antidote first

they won't have to worry about being stung by the bees.

If Chu Bei Jie intends to attack us with poisonous bees

he'd surely have his men hack down the woods in secret.

They would have to make the antidote in the woods

to prevent our scouts from finding them.