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

I am well aware of your doings.

You colluded with the enemy

harmed the prince, and framed a devoted subject.

These offenses

are sufficient to sentence you to death by dismemberment a million times!

Your Majesty knew everything already.

You pretended to know nothing.

You watched every move I made as if it were a show.

You are not yet a fool.

Not a fool?

I am a big fool!

Despite all my schemes, I failed to take you into account, you old fox!

Now you have what you wished for.

You are correct.

I planned all of this.

I do not have any regrets.

I only regret not pulling it off more perfectly

thus allowing you to have something to hold against me.

Ever since I entered the palace

you all have belittled and insulted me.

Not a day goes by when I don't look forward to your deaths.

You had best kill me.

Because as long as I live

I will use all means necessary to bring you to your death!

I've suddenly remembered why I want to keep you alive.

Ever since the queen's passing, the palace has been bleak and desolate.

I find it boring.

Only when I saw you consumed by desire, struggling like a fish in water

and even seeing you look down on and despise yourself

did I feel some enjoyment out of life.

You are overly confident your beauty and talent exceed others'.

You thought after the queen's passing, her position would surely become yours.

You must never have imagined

I would confer the title of queen

to a palace maid you wouldn't even approve to carry your shoes.

My purpose is to have you understand

in my eyes, you are but merely a dancing shackled fool!

If I want you to dance, you will dance.

If I want you to die, you will die!

In that case, this fool

has suddenly remembered an amusing matter I have yet to tell Your Majesty.

Does Your Majesty really think

your beloved queen died from grief?

Our grand queen...

By no means did she die from grief.

She...

was suffocated to death by my hands.

Do you know how tragic her death was?

Before she died, she struggled painfully.

However, I wouldn't give her the gratification.

Because only if she finds no gratification

would I be satisfied.

You!

You!

You have the heart of a devil!

Your Majesty can feel pain as well?

Even if you sentence me to death, it will be to no avail.

She is already dead.

She is dead!

You are a lunatic!

Yes, I am a lunatic! I've long been crazy!

You all forced me into lunacy!

Do you not believe I will kill you this instant?

I thank Your Majesty for granting me death.

To be able to bring about the end of Great Jin's Sima royal family bloodline

leaving no successor to the line

I find my death worthwhile and can die in peace.

Do you think the Sima family has no successor?

I shall tell you a secret.

Chu Bei Jie is not from the Chu family.

He is from the Sima family. He is my real brother.

You...

Impossible.

Impossible!

I am old. I can no longer father any children.

But Chu Bei Jie is still young.

The Sima family will continue on!

And you will live to provide amusement for me for the rest of your life!

You will be tormented any way I wish!

Do you want to die?

Then wait for the day you follow me to my grave!

Anyone there!

- Present! - Present!

Keep a close eye on Noble Consort.

Keep her alive and well.

If she dies, you will all be buried with her!

- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes.

You're lying to me.

- You are lying to me! - Your Highness.

Get off!

Sima Hong!

Sima Hong!

Sima Hong, kill me! Kill me!

Sima Hong, just kill me!

Stay alive and well.

Only this way will you have a taste of being in a living hell!

My queen.

I have let you down.

If I had stayed by your side

you would not have met your end in this way.

Fortunately, the culprit has been dealt with.

You can rest in peace.

Your Majesty.

He says Noble Consort pregnancy's was a pretense?

He wants a blood paternity test?

Yes.

For the sake of Prince of Zhenbei

this deputy general named Mo Ran

is kneeling outside the palace hall.

He asks Your Majesty to clear His Highness's name.

He... He also said

He Xia has surrounded Mount East country house

and has made an agreement with Princess Consort to wait two days.

If Prince of Zhenbei does not appear

He Xia will take Princess Consort away.

Your Majesty, the allotted time is drawing to an end.

If delayed any further

I'm afraid Princess Consort cannot be saved.

This concerns the royal succession. This is an important matter.

This is no child's play.

Have him wait.

Yes, Your Majesty.

This steamed cake made from Jiangnan crops

is soft and delicious.

Common folk make some during New Year's or birthdays

for the symbolic meaning of prospering with each passing day.

I am just afraid...

of the chance that I might not see him return to eat it.

That won't happen. Ping Ting, Bei Jie will definitely return.

When he sees the steamed cake you made for him

he will be delighted.

I will wait for him to return.

Watching my parents eat it when I was young, I often wondered

what went through their minds when they were away from one another.

Now I finally know that between lovers

the most difficult feeling to endure is longing.

There is not a moment I do not miss him

hoping for his return

hoping for him to step through the door

bringing with him the wind, the moonlight, and the dust.

I won't need to say a word.

I will just lightly close the door

and wish that he will never leave again

forever staying by my side

and grow old with me just like that.

Ping Ting.

Zui Ju.

I can only be like the common folk.

When a wife can no longer stand missing her husband

the only thing she can do is cook a meal for him.

What else can I do?

Ping Ting.

Zui Ju, I made too much steamed cake today.

Give them to the soldiers on the night watch.

All right.

You've worked hard.

This is the steamed cake Her Highness made for His Highness's birthday.

Give them to the men.

Miss Zui Ju, we pledge our lives to protect Princess Consort.

Prince and Princess Consort will surely reunite.

I believe Bei Jie will definitely return.

Bei Jie.

Your Majesty!

Prince of Zhenbei Chu Bei Jie is loyal and devoted to Your Majesty

and harbors no ill intention!

This matter concerns the life of Princess Consort of Zhenbei

and the life of a devoted general of Jin State!

Your Majesty!

The rebellion conspiracy must have been sabotage planned by a petty scoundrel!

Your Majesty, please investigate!

Don't allow a loyal subject to be subjected to such injustice!

Your Majesty!

What do you think you're doing causing this big racket?

I know you are a general under Prince of Zhenbei.

Eunuch.

But you need to open your eyes and take a look.

- Where are you? - Eunuch.

This is the palace! How can you be allowed to make a scene here?

His Majesty is of great prestige. How can you be allowed to run afoul here?

Putting aside that Prince of Zhenbei's punishment fits his crime

regardless of what injustice you receive

you still cannot behave atrociously in the palace.

Your Majesty, Your Majesty!

- Someone gag him. - Your Majesty, I beg you!

- Don't let him speak. - Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

His Majesty's orders are

to never wrongly accuse a loyal subject or Noble Consort.

Someone hold him down and gag him. Don't let him say another word!

I want to see His Majesty!

I...

I heard from my men you came out early in the morning.

So you are picking flowers. You seem to be in high spirits.

His Highness is returning today. He is a refined man.

In a dinner to welcome him back

how can there be no wine in a cup or no flowers in a vase?

I am making preparations.

You should know I could have taken you away already.

Ping Ting.

Why do you look exhausted?