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

Ping Ting.

I just want you to answer me honestly.

I, He Xia, want your heart.

The heart that beat for me.

The heart that would die for me.

Now, I just want to spend the rest of my life with that heart of yours.

If you need more time, I can wait for you.

A year or even 10, 20 or even 50 years.

I thank Prince Consort for such affection.

But I am not a fool.

You used me as an excuse to ignore the princess and officials

because you want them to know

who the most important person in Bai Lan State is now.

Prince Consort has framed me.

It really is difficult for me to tell if your affection is real

or that you're just using me to realize your ambition of ruling Bai Lan State.

I mean every word I said.

Prince Consort, thank you for taking me riding.

I'm tired.

I'd like to head back now.

Ping Ting.

If you turn around now

I could give you the happiness you wish for.

Prince Consort has forgotten that I'm a married woman.

Apart from my husband, I wouldn't be happy with anyone else.

I'm leaving tomorrow.

Take care.

Prince Consort.

Keep a close eye on her.

She might escape anytime.

Yes!

Speed up.

Load Prince Consort's armor and weapons onto the carriage.

The war will soon be upon us.

Nothing must go wrong.

- Yes. - Yes.

- Young Master. - How are the preparations?

Everything is ready.

You can set out to war anytime.

Dong Zhuo, I'll leave Ping Ting to you.

You must take good care of her.

In addition, inform all personnel in the manor

not to reveal a word about this battle.

Anyone who lets slip a word will be punished according to military law.

Yes!

Be careful!

- Yes. - Hurry up!

- Yes! - Quickly!

Here.

- All right. - Over here.

Be careful.

Hurry up!

Wait!

What is it, Miss?

Why is everyone rushing in and out so early in the morning?

It's said that our Prince Consort is getting

his gear and troops ready to go to war!

Go to war?

Yes, he's going to war.

Our Prince Consort is a renowned hero.

He has a million soldiers, so he'll surely win.

Prince Consort is remarkable.

Is he not?

Miss Zui Ju, you just came to the manor, but you'll understand after some time.

This is a huge event.

Look at me. I chatted so much with you

that I'd forgotten what I was supposed to do.

I'll let you get back to work. We can chat when you have the time.

- Take care, Miss. - Sure.

I'll ask you more about this later.

Sure.

Ping Ting, I've brought you the gold thread that you asked for.

Thank you.

You're welcome. Why are you still so polite to me?

By the way, I've just heard some news.

Prince Consort is going away to war.

Since He Xia is going to war, he's leaving the manor soon.

Once he leaves the manor, don't we get a chance to escape?

I knew you'd say so.

Do we? Do we?

When should we escape?

How should we escape?

War...

Whom is he fighting against?

Me and my brain...

I forgot to ask about that.

But why does it matter whom He Xia is fighting against?

As long as he leaves the manor, we'll get a chance to escape.

That's true.

I'm the one who's muddleheaded.

Times have changed.

Why would it matter to me whom he fights against?

Ping Ting...

Now that Young Master is going away to war

it's a great opportunity for us.

But we can't leave yet.

Why not?

Young Master is a meticulous man.

There isn't much that he hasn't planned and plotted ahead of time.

He knows that we're in the manor, so he must be worried.

Even when he's here, there are already so many guards.

After he leaves, there will only be more guards stationed here.

It will be even more difficult for us to escape then.

This won't do and that won't either.

Are we never going to escape from Prince Consort's Manor?

You're so impatient.

I'm not done talking yet.

When did I say that we won't be able to escape at all?

He Xia might have left, but the princess is still in Yun-An City.

We might be trapped in the manor

but it doesn't mean that Her Highness can't visit us.

The outcome of this game.

depends on how Princess Yao Tian intends to surprise us.

Ping Ting, you mean...

Be careful.

Quickly.

- Hold on to it tightly! - Good.

Zui Ju, find me a map of Bai Lan State.

Bai Lan State?

Sure!

It's a beautiful day.

Who knew that there's such a place here in the harem of Bai Lan State?

Prime Minister.

You couldn't have come over here to admire flowers with me.

I do have some words to say.

Please forgive me, Your Highness.

Including Your Highness

I've already counseled three reigns of rulers in Bai Lan State.

I'd like to offer some advice to Your Highness.

You'd like me to release Bai Ping Ting?

Your Highness is indeed clever.

Then... There's no more to say.

Prime Minister.

Have you not given up yet?

You might be a veteran official of three reigns

but Prince Consort is the only warrior who could take on Chu Bei Jie.

Do you not find Prince Consort's reasons justified?

Isn't it too good a deal for us

if we could simply exchange Bai Ping Ting for peace?

Is it not too easy?

How long do you think we could hold on to such peace?

I would like to know since the former king passed away

which other kings have not set their eyes on Bai Lan State?

If we were to lose the valiant Prince Consort because of Bai Ping Ting

wouldn't that leave Bai Lan State at the mercy of others?

Now that the world is dominated by four states

we either fight back or will just end up butchered.

How do we attain peace by not going to war?

- But Your Highness-- - No buts.

What we can do now is to hold on to Prince Consort first

and then think of other ways to make Bai Ping Ting leave.

I think that be it by Chu Bei Jie's side

or He Xia's, this woman will be the trigger for the next war.

Your Highness.

Do you know where Prince Consort spent the night yesterday?

Prime Minister, you have crossed the line.

Your deceased father entrusted you to me.

I made an oath to look after Your Highness.

I just can't bear...

I can't bear to see Your Highness upset.

However, you're not my father after all.

Prime Minister need not worry about me.

I have my own ideas.

The decision to go to war is finalized.

We have sent our written challenge.

I'd prefer Prime Minister not bring this matter up again.

If you have the time, you should be helping Prince Consort out

to come up with ways to defeat the army of Jin State soon.

- Lu Yi. - Present.

See Prime Minister out.

- Princess... - Prime Minister, please.

I'll take my leave now.

They came all the way here.

They will surely come at us in full force to take down the city swiftly.

However, He Xia will surely shut the gates

and use the high walls to fend off our enemies' attack.

If we were to leave from the city gates, we'd have to wait until the war is over.

If the battle lasts too long, we surely can't take the gates.

We could only leave from here.

There's a mountain behind the manor.

Once we get through the mountain, we'd arrive at Chencang Pass.

Chencang Pass?

Why are we going to Chencang Pass?

We don't need to go through it.

We just need to keep heading south to get on Zhongnan Passage

and we'll be fine.

We're heading back to Great Jin?

Why are we going back to Great Jin?

Besides, Ping Ting

didn't you say that Sima Hong and He Xia conspired to have you killed?

It's dangerous for us to head back there.

He is there after all.

Ping Ting...

You're going to make offerings to His Highness?

Whatever happens, I have to see him.

I have yet to offer him a bowl of wine and a stick of incense.

I have yet to tell him that I'm carrying his child.

Zui Ju.

Would any wife not know where her husband is buried?

Ping Ting.