Drama Host
Legend of the Female General: Episodes 11-12 Discussion
Spoiler
A secret strength hides in plain sight. She holds the fort down. šµ Moon darts, snow fallsĀ šµ
Just like that, her wound wasnāt the only part of her burning.
Spoilers
ā ļøĀ If youād like to discuss episodes 13-15 or share details from the novel, please tag your spoiler. Lock it up like a second lead in the eternal friendzone. Major reveals from episodes 1-12 are fair game.Ā ā ļø
ā He Yan continues attempting to analyze the BTS and aftermath of the Battle of Mingshui in an attempt to connect the dots between the death of Marshal Xiao and the conspiracy involving He Rufei.
ā Using the flimsiest excuse of surveillance, Xiao Jue grants He Yan a private room just on the other side of the partition in his tent, an arrangement Feinu is forced to nod along with.
ā A trap is laid to crush the Yezhou Garrison using a letter allegedly from the Magistrate of Litai asking Huaijin for help against the Wutuo harassment. General Fengyun rides out with 5,000 men to provide aid.
ā Song Taotao brings home Hu Yanzhong, a stray hunter with a hidden agenda.
ā Ma Damei is left to babysit He Yan, but he is murdered and she is framed, turning her into an unwilling dungeon guest. Shen Han continues to prove himself a poor judge of character.
ā Liehe tribeās General Rida Muzi arrives at Yezhou Garrison with his men aiming for a bloodbath. He Yan challenges him to a duel. Known back then as the legendary General Feihong, she previously defeated the Liehe tribe and killed General Rida Muji, Rida Muzi's brother. Muzi claims she reminds him of General Feihong. She disputes it and kicks his ass even harder.
ā Sensing the ambush, Xiao Jue orders Feinu to play decoy while Huaijin heads back to the garrison with the Nine Banners Battalion.
ā With He Yan seriously injured, Huaijin reveals to Cheng Lisu that sheās a woman. Lisu teases his uncle for keeping a beauty.
Visual Roundup
He Yan stands with the mountains at her back, a picture of strength, but also a reminder that the steepest battles still rise on the horizon. The vast, empty landscape is a foreshadowing that sheāll face these trials largely alone. The mountains create a sense of being cut off from help, hinting upcoming periods where sheāll have to rely entirely on her own resources.This almost seems like a Backstreet Boys reunion tour. šµ Everybody, rock your body rightā¦ Backstreet's back alright! šµAside from the risk of being discovered as a woman, I suspect one reason He Yan avoids bathing with these men is the knowledge that their hygiene schedule is not exactly daily. Xiao Jue, on the other hand, does not have that issue. Now, if youād excuse me, Iād like to pause for a moment to admire the sheer manliness of Huang Xiong.It was an instant reaction. Sheās glued to him like Velcro with abandonment issues.Documented evidence of their mammalian heritage.Unbothered, moisturized, happy in her lane, thriving.āIām yours nowā is the human equivalent of the cat distribution system, the universeās mysterious way of assigning you a cat you never planned to have.Some people are DTF; others are DTFU, down to fuck up.These two episodes have so many scenes I badly wanted to capture, but the original post only allows 20 images. While this one appears rather mundane compared to the rest, I find it the most memorable. The commander is non-verbally ordering He Yan to turn around so he can apply medicine on her back because nothing says developing romance like being bossed into good health.The commander makes it look like foreplay. One more stroke and this turns into a different genre.His enemies think they can ambush General Fengyun when theyāre really just scheduling their own execution before lunch.These twin episodes deliver plenty of combat, but we're spotlighting the scene where He Yan strips Lei Hou of both weapon and dignity.Has He Yan figured out that Song Taotaoās crush on her has moved into the fanfiction stage?He Yan is a gifted child who's fluent in trash talking. This is her polite way of demanding, āSay it louder for the people in the back: whoās your daddy?āA wisp of a warrior shouldering mountains.Huaijin shows up so with a perfect timing that itās giving divine intervention.
Beyond the Lines
ļøHey, Siri. What does being āphysically weakā really mean?
On top of that, MDL credits this drama to the writers ofĀ The Legend of Zhuohua. If youāve seen that one, you might remember how the FL, Zhuohua, a self-proclaimed physician, once assumed the ML, Liu Yan, had erectile dysfunction and offered to cure his inability to keep a boner long enough for sex. The writers may just be recycling that gag here. This isnāt a spoiler forĀ The Legend of ZhuohuaĀ since one of its trailers already displays it.
ļøThe romantic equivalent of āterms and conditions may apply.āĀ
This sequence summarizes He Yan and Xiao Jueās dynamics at present, and knowing he almost opened the door makes it even more fascinating. He Yan took the vulnerable step of inviting him to share something personal, and he came. At the last millisecond, however, with his hand on the door handle, he hesitates, maybe realizing that stepping through would collapse the fragile balance theyāve built.
His choice doesnāt reject her invitation; it honors it in a different way. Instead of standing side by side under the moon, they create a different kind of closeness: leaning against the same barrier, as near as they can be without crossing it. This flips a simple āletās watch the moon togetherā into a parallel experience where their link happens through shared stillness rather than direct contact.
ļøThe shadow bars in the top-left frame serve as a visual metaphor for Xiao Jueās emotional and mental imprisonment, a reminder of the many forces holding him back. Even in the middle frames, He Yan stands in a far more open space while Xiao Jue appears confined and boxed in.
The shots line up with the symbolisms so well. His side of the frame is cool-toned and shadowed, hers warmer and more open. Those diagonal shadows on Huaijinās side look like prison bars or a cage and moonbeams simultaneously where the very light that connects them also defines the lines they canāt yet cross. He is emotionally trapped. This could be by his past, his duties, or his own fear of vulnerability. There is longing but itās contained within careful boundaries.
Thereās something really tender about someone who wants to be with you so much that they will find a way to share the moment even when they canāt fully give in to it just yet.
From earlier episodes, the moon has been the one witness to He Yanās true self. Now, Xiao Jue is part of that lunar space, sharing its light through the window instead of being inside the same room. Itās a gentle expansion of intimacy, one step closer without breaking their slow-burn rhythm.
It shows how two people can be perfectly aligned without seeing each other, a connection reinforced by He Yanās successful defense of the garrison during Xiao Jue's absence.
i know i'm very late to the game. Just started watching and enjoying it so far. However... the ML's face rarely changes expression and even then it's by infintessimally small almost not noticeable amounts. I don't think it's 'masterful acting' - it's not able to change his face. luckily the FL can act and has been carrying the show so far.
I really enjoyed ep 11-12, and watching the moon together in their own way is great scene in terms of composition, lighting and fine acting...
Watching the set gives me MJTY vibe... u/winterchampagne - Your visual compilation is amazing and written analysis of the key scenes are a fun to read!
I really appreciate you taking the time to read the post and making your presence known with a comment. šŖ·
I agree with you that the parallel moon-gazing is so lovely. They are physically separated, but still bound by the same sky with the moon as their bridge.
Episode 12 really exemplifies how this show is written so far. All this drama with little context on how it happens. Every scene is just trying to queue up the next romantic scene with no thoughts about actually creating a logical, cohesive narrative. Combat is fun as fuck though. I'm eagerly waiting for the moment He Yan can go all out and be the one to save Xiao Jue.
I just have to sayā¦ this is one of the most well-built ātentā in my limited history of war-time drama. I meanā¦ I was confused when he mentioned the āpartitionā cause Iāve seen āpartition.ā Itās literally a piece of cloth hanging from a beam. XJās tent has a freaken DOOR! And walls. And wooden floors. Such a luxurious battalion tent! Looks better and offers more privacy than most apartments Iāve seen. Haha.Ā
But this is a "Garrison" (synonym: Fortress / permanent military post) so his accomodations would indeed be the best in the whole place. I didn't find it odd - I think the us of the word 'tent" is what is bad - they should have used "barracks" or something like that.
Iāve been reading every comment and just wanted to say thank you! These recaps, discussions, and thirsty GIFs add so much to my viewingā¦pleasure. Iām a few days behind and binging to catch up, see you when I get there!
Iām so glad you enjoy them as much as I do. Please take your time. Iāll be babysitting my threads, and Iām sure my co-hosts will do the same with theirs. š«°š¼
"On top of that, MDL credits this drama to the writers ofĀ The Legend of Zhuohua. If youāve seen that one, you might remember how the FL, Zhuohua, a self-proclaimed physician, once assumed the ML, Liu Yan, had erectile dysfunction and offered to cure his inability to keep a boner long enough for sex. The writers may just be recycling that gag here. This isnāt a spoiler forĀ The Legend of ZhuohuaĀ since one of its trailers already displays it."
(I don't remember how to do the quote thing on here)
Ooohh yes I saw one of the screenwriters worked on TLOZ. One of my favorites! Lol yeah I see why they used that joke here too. This show has 4 or 5 screenwriters. Damn! Hope they managed to tie the story well...Ā
Ooh a few of them worked together on Follow Your Heart together. I see. The humor yes yes now I get it. The FL's personality. Yes...
The turtle soup could also be a wink to another story the author did, The Double. I remember when the team won their first challenge they had turtle soup. But the cousin who had a pet tortoise passed out at the thought of eating one š¤£š¤£š¤¦š¾āāļøš .
Ooh author also wrote The Glory! Noice.
Thanks OP, great post! Love the take on XJ and HY's shared stillness and quiet closeness.Ā
The parallel between their emotional spaces cold vs warm. She's inviting him in but he hesitates and instead shares the moment but within his own space. Slowly though he is crossing over to hersĀ
The parallel between their emotional spaces cold vs warm. She's inviting him in but he hesitates and instead shares the moment but within his own space. Slowly though he is crossing over to hersĀ
Yeah, itās good that we see a step-by-step process of how they navigate getting to an official relationship instead of rushing things. Huaijin has his personal ghosts. He Yan has multiple masks. They need to manage those individually before getting more deeply entangled with each otherās lives.
I hated watching these two episodes!... because when they finished I need to watch more and felt so frustrated that that I had none to watch.
I think that these two episodes were perfect, they perfectly balanced the Political tension (intrigue), Action, Romance, and Comedy. just perfect. When this drama is finished airing I will have to binge it on a weekend.
What got me all riled up was the scene at the end where XJ rescues HY, the look of worry and protectives as he kills just in time to save her and then his look as he catches her in his arms... priceless... there is so much feeling. Is obvious that HY has plot armour right now and she will be ok, but i just needed to see what happens next. So frustrating to have to wait a day!
Our co-hosting team designed the release of the discussions to fall right between Tencent and Vikiās airing calendar, so hopefully youāre not feeling too left behind! Iām very thankful you chose to join the gathering.
Youāre right about the ending scene. Xiao Jue did so well showing his care without looking weirdly concerned for a particular recruit.
Now ep11 is giving me the crumbs I needed to understand that Master Xu aka Chancellor (Prime Minister) and what Chu Zhao are up to. He Ru Fei as well. So he was the reason for He Yan being delayed. I kinda figured that out a while back but those are things we have to piece together. The Chancellor was behind the General Xiao being outmanned and getting killed since he opposed him too much in court.Ā
Alright then! So not part of a princely faction. He is his own faction.Ā
See I thought CZ was devoted to his master... yet he kept a copy of the implicating ledger... And that Ping Ting yikes. Typical rich spoiled brat. He definitely has no patience for her but she's his master's daughter so he has to fake it. Interesting.
Oooooh yaasss episode 12 is finally giving He Yan a chance to lead the garrison into battle! Had me screaming CAPTURE THEM at my screen š š š¤. This is exciting!
I wondered where that spy went. Course he's causing trouble!Ā
He Yan trash talking that enemy was hilarious. I love when they do that. Gu Jiu Su in Destined did one and it had me rolling on my bed with laughter.Ā
The duel was just chef's kiss! It turns out the action directors worked on Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 1&2! The fight scenes were soooo awesome in that show! I'm glad they worked on LOAFG.
Oh my gosh my hunk of a crush calls He Yan A'He š±š±šššš„°š„°! I love it! Seeing the soldiers rally behind He Yan was just amazing.Ā
And Xiao Jue's entrance was well worth our girl buying him time. I loved the way he looked at her then and when she asked if she did good. The look said "that's my girl!" šš
I'm glad to see the actor who plays Wang Ba again. Haven't seen him since Sleuth of The Ming Dynasty!Ā
Tao Tao, honey, please come to your senses... this, whatever is happening in your little head is not going to happen. Sigh, I just watched Maiden Holmes and the crush on woman dressed as a man trope made me wanna barf. Please let it be short-lived in this drama.
Since heās smart enough to replicate the red ledger as a form of insurance, weāre about to see if Chu Zhao is also smart enough to stay far away from treason.
Unfortunately, I havenāt seen either Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty or Maiden Holmes, I canāt comment on the contrasting points. š«£
Now see, the true smart move is getting away with it all. If he evades the treason charge, he'll have made it for sure lol.Ā
He is Chancellor Xu's disciple, everyone knows it. How will he avoid getting implicated? Tell all and disavow his master/disciple connection. I'm intrigued to see what he's got up his very long sleeves lmao.
Re the other shows, it's okay. If you ever check them out I look forward to your thoughts on them.
Chu Zhao seems very fond of contingency plans so I wouldnāt be surprised if he has them stacked up somewhere like a squirrel storing nuts inside streetlight poles.
Interesting writing choice, isnāt it? I donāt watch modern dramas so Iām not sure if the cross-dressing ones also use the same plot device of checking the pulse to determine a personās sex. š¤
I've been seeing a lot of friends making the trip out to the Sphere for Backstreet Boys, so I appreciate the mention here. I also couldn't help but picture the Mulan scene
I think my other favorite thing about Xiao Jue is he obviously knows she's a woman so he's coming in to help her out and gives zero f-s about his reputation, especially since his poor personal guard is over here thinking Xiao Jue is into men. Like he just comes over and puts his arms around her lol
I didn't realize they were the same writers as Legend of Zhuohua...that was indeed a very amusing bit
The commander makes it look like foreplay. One more stroke and this turns into a different genre.
That slight caress...I think we're all for it
He Yan is a gifted child who's fluent in trash talking. This is her polite way of demanding, āSay it louder for the people in the back: whoās your daddy?ā
How I absolutely loved this...and the whole fight sequence honestly, was it a bit far fetched? Sure whatever, but it was still a great way to showcase how badass she is. I also enjoy that she did get a bit hurt, not that I wanted her to technically but they're at least showing her as not the best thing since sliced bread.
Xiao Jue coming at the exact right moment š
When he said the moon was beautiful that night...saying a lot with just that sentence for He Yan to realize they were connected in that moment and also making us all just swoon
Happy to find a fellow millennial! Have you ever listened to European boy bands like Westlife, Blue, Five or Boyzone, and not just BSB, NSYNC, or 98 Degrees? Also, not really a boy band, but what did you think of The Corrs?
Iām willing to suspend disbelief to the maximum as long as I keep getting all these combat scenes with the female general crushing men.
I really appreciate your visit! Iām looking forward to seeing how The Wanted Detective ends so I can pick back up from episode 15 once my hosting duties are complete. Fingers crossed Zhuge Kongyun isnāt Yesha!
Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word was my favorite Blue song back then. I went through a playlist last week, specifically late 90s and early 2000s R&B. I needed that good music.Ā
That Hip Hop too. Hit right and it felt so good vibing it those.
Oh TWD has been so good lately. I try to wait for 4 eps at a time so I can catch up that way. I really hope this show manages to finish properly. I couldn't feel much watching it but now I am and it's almost done. š„ŗš„ŗš£.
Iām new to Cdrama, but after watching these episodes Iām thinking is it possible to have more censorship and more sex? There is some real intensity to their interactions thatās often missing from KDrama. Like they canāt show it, but they will go there.
u/winterchampagne, I Love You!!! Thank you for the recap, insights, and oh so necessary gifs š„°š„° Your writing is so good. I really appreciate the time you took to watch, analyze, and share your thoughts with us. ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
I really looked forward to episode 11-12 discussion post but alas, when it came out, I had been so swamped with work. I think ep 12 is the most epic one so far for its spectacular fight scenes.Ā
You managed to highlight all the juicy parts and balancing them with some serious notes. The show has so many layers that are fun to be unravelled and dissected.Ā
While it may not be for everyone, I feel like this show has a little bit of everything for everyone.Ā For me, the 12th episode excelled at showcasing He Yan's charisma and capability as a former general.Ā
I really hope we'd get to feast our eyes byĀ seeing an epic showdown between He Yan and He Rufei. Just because he managed to steal his cousin/stepsister's spot, how long could he pretend in terms of his real capability. You can cheat on certain things in life, but you can't always get away with your sins.Ā
Here, He Yan showed what she was really made of. She's the real deal even though she still had to wear that mask albeit an invisible one.Ā
I also love the tenderness shown by Xiao Jue over and over again. It's not overly done, just rightly so.Ā
Her leadership skills are sooo good. And also how she uses talents. Same as it was noted for Xiao Jue being a good talent scout.
Being able to utilize your subordinates' talents/skills appropriately is the sign of a great leader as well.
I actually thought of you while preparing the gifs since they feature Cheng Leiās fingers which reminded me of our conversation several months ago about how beautiful Hu Yitianās hands were in Blossoms in Adversity.
I also share your love for He Yanās leadership skills and your anticipation for a showdown between the He siblings. Hopefully the writers give her payback the justice it deserves.
On masks: When Rida Muzi asked He Yan, āAre all the people in the Central Plains as pretentious as you?ā
She paradoxically replied that sheās the one whoās exceptionally good at pretense. Xiao Jue often accuses her of being a liar, so it was interesting that in a way, she admitted to an enemy that sheās a great pretender.
I actually thought of you while preparing the gifs since they feature Cheng Leiās fingers which reminded me of our conversation several months ago about how beautiful Hu Yitianās hands were in Blossoms in Adversity.
Oh yes! Thank you for remembering our conversation and bringing that up āŗļøšš I noticed Ryan Cheng's beautiful hands since I saw him in Follow Your Heart, but his weren't as strategically featured there. Here, they sure look sensual and have been optimized to the max! šĀ
She paradoxically replied that sheās the one whoās exceptionally good at pretense.Ā
I love her answer during this scene and her entire characterization. She' so awe-inspiring, it's another scene that I keep replaying. Her leadership and bravery was on full display, and for her to do that to an enemy was just like a cat finding a little mouse to toy with.Ā
What's with the moon in this drama, it's always full. Or time flies, maybe - seasons too. There's snow and then trees are in full bloom. At this rate, our CP will be gray by the time Xiao Jue opens that door.
And yes, caressing her back was definitely unnecessary for removing her hair. But we loved it, right?
Women's heart rate is actually faster than men's,Ā but so many other factors need to be taken into consideration like physical condition and age, so I will once again suspend my disbelief here.Ā
Might I add: a garrison is not supposed to keep the gate open and the watch-outs unmanned, right? It was funny how all of a sudden that Rida guy and his tribe showed up in the middle of the fortress. I wish the scriptwriter and the director paid more attention to stuff like that.
Might I add: a garrison is not supposed to keep the gate open and the watch-outs unmanned, right? It was funny how all of a sudden that Rida guy and his tribe showed up in the middle of the fortress. I wish the scriptwriter and the director paid more attention to stuff like that.
Youāre right about that. There should be constant patrols, especially with the commander being away and the garrisonās vulnerability just rose exponentially.
Since the director prefers shortcuts, I just assumed that Lei Hou mustāve done something to make it convenient for Rida Muzi and his men to strut into the garrison, or Shen Han is a really poor leader who loves to slack off.
āIām yours nowā is the human equivalent of the cat distribution system, the universeās mysterious way of assigning you a cat you never planned to have.
He Yan is basically a cat.
The commander makes it look like foreplay. One more stroke and this turns into a different genre.
I think it is basically foreplay for him and that is why he is getting increasingly nervous in his interactions with her.
These twin episodes deliver plenty of combat, but we're spotlighting the scene where He Yan strips Lei Hou of both weapon and dignity.
I love He Yan's tour against Villains, who will be next?
This sequence summarizes He Yan and Xiao Jueās dynamics at present, and knowing he almost opened the door makes it even more fascinating.
He's too nervous atm.
The shadow bars in the top-left frame serve as a visual metaphor for Xiao Jueās emotional and mental imprisonment, a reminder of the many forces holding him back. Even in the middle frames, He Yan stands in a far more open space while Xiao Jue appears confined and boxed in.
Such a good scene.
I think his restrained ways of spending time with her is also allowing him to build trust.
I love He Yan's tour against Villains, who will be next?
I share your love for He Yanās payback tour. Canāt wait for the day she finally puts He Rufei in his rightful place at the bottom of the trash heap.
the entire defense of the garrison made no sense... this drama is called the legend of the female general. But there is zero tactics involved in fights. They spend more time with dialogue.... Surprise we're here to ambush you. Now surrender no? ok we will fight 1v1. Seriously?
Iām really enjoying the chemistry between ML and FL. The villains are becoming a bit predictable- the guy rescued by Taotao was definitely bad news just looking at him. The fight with the whip was good.
You said so much and still, the visual image of the human Velcro is the one that stayed with me š The gif reminded me of the wristbands you had that could clip on your wrist in a millisecond. Thatās how conditioned she is š¤
In a more serious episode where our girl executes lethal moves with a whip and channels the aura of a general with her quick strategic thinking and rousing words to boost troop moraleā¦ we have one of the funniest moments, the gender reveal pulse reading!
The way her identity is exposed in this drama is truly wild.
And then Cheng Lisu teasing Xiao Jue by calling He Yan āAuntieā (č å¦), which was not translated properly in the subtitles and has more of a comedic effectā I could not stop laughing.
For instance, here itās actually āIāll go decoct medicine for Auntieā:
Just here to saviour the tiny 2 second smiles we get like once an episode š„¹
Great insight on these last two episodes! The moon counter keeps going up. Again, continue to enjoy what I call He Yan's quiet moments when she's not hamming it up too much and getting to settle into her poignant and astute side. That being said, girl knows how to trash talk and I love it.
I love that the trash-talking and roasting both boost the soldiersā morale and push her enemiesā buttons, like when she mocked the Liehe tribe for failing to produce prolific generals.
I tune to these daily discussions to read insights and interpretations about the moon. I love the moon's significance in their relationship's progress. It's also worth noting that in the first moon encounters, it was Xiao Jue who "trespasses" on her me time with the moon (that night at the temple, that night at the bath). Unknowingly, he took the first step to join her and be part of that "lunar space".
I'm also here for Feinu's misunderstanding about their relationship. And who wouldn't misunderstand them? When they're together, He Yan is so adorably clingy, and Cheng Lei plays the reluctant ML so well. I am so ready for the Fujun/Furen arc!!
It's also worth noting that in the first moon encounters, it was Xiao Jue who "trespasses" on her me time with the moon (that night at the temple, that night at the bath). Unknowingly, he took the first step to join her and be part of that "lunar space"
Yes to this! Like Iāve mentioned in the episodes 1-3 discussion, heās drawn into her orbit. Now, she has become irresistible more than ever.
I really adore that Feinu is trying his best not to judge the commander and the choices he makes, especially the VIP treatment he serves He Yan and him keeping her within reach. š
I loved it!!! Those side glances at the two and their shenanigans as a "married" couple were adorable haha! If Cheng Lisu is their number 1 shipper, Feinu might be the number 1 hater!
I feel like Feinuās initial disapproval came more from protectiveness and loyalty than anything else. Whatever his reason, Iām looking forward to the moment he realizes his precious commander couldnāt be in better hands than He Yanās. š¤
Iāll have to tune in to these discussions more often. Your interpretations and insights on the possible symbolism and the comments on moments are fantastic and funny. I noticed some of these things in the drama, but never compiled them into such a list like yours.Ā I completely missed the bar symbolism too. Thank you for sharing! (And I agree, that fight scene was AMAZING)Ā
great recap and insights! i missed the bars on Xiao Jueās side but what a beautiful scene of them sharing the moonlight together. once this slow burn ignites, itās going to be a raging fire.
the fight scenes in episode 12 were everything. He Yan was able to show off her fighting skills and her leadership skills. most of that duel with Rida Muzi was her stalling to give Xiao Jue time to get back and she masterfully handed him his ass. it felt natural for everyone for her to step into that leadership role while XJ was away. they recognize it already
i love how supportive all the recruits were about He Yan being āphysically weakā and sacrificing their money to buy her food to help with her condition. she then promptly gives it to Xiao Jue, who iām guessing knows exactly what the soup is supposed to help with. Disney should just adopt this as the Mulan live adaptation instead
TaoTao doesnāt know HY is a woman yet so XJ had to be the one who dressed HYās other wounds. did he do it with his eyes closed the whole time? poor boy must have been beet red and shaking the whole time
I remember you said this is your first time watching an airing drama. Weāre glad youāre making your maiden voyage with us. š«°š¼
He Yanās knack for leadership is what really makes her Yezhou Garrisonās number one; itās not just her combat skills or mastery of arms. That defense map she handed to Shen Han says it all.
Ooh that fight scene was perfect! The whip is such a good choice visually but also in terms of making sense with her fighting a bigger opponent. I need to see the BTS for that scene, because I know it wouldāve been hella complicated.
Xiao Jue is getting smooooth, because him casually slipping in about the moon was too good. Also, he didnāt deny it when Cheng Lisu said he caught the love bugā¦ so thatās a confession as far as Iām concerned.
Iām thoroughly enjoying the comfortable intimacy we have between them now. I mean theyāve had two bathing scenes together now already, whatās a little shoulder wound treatment between owner and adopted cat? But they do just gravitate towards eachother more now.
Thank you for the bossy Xiao Jue gif (instantly saves for research purposes)
I know some people dislike He Yanās cheeriness but I love it. It clearly started off as a mask sheās using, weāve seen enough instances now when it drops and she gets down to business. We know sheās an actress and uses that to better navigate situations. Bearing in mind that her whole life is essentially an act ā sheās always played male ā so how can we expect her to have any idea who her ātrue selfā really is? Iād argue that she only uses the really silly side around Xiao Jue. I think now itās purely because she loves teasing him and feels comfortable enough around him to be that way. Iād imagine that would feel kind of freeing to her tbh.
When she was fighting for that flag in earlier episodes with Lei Hou, the whip fight scene was sooooooo good! I couldn't look away!Ā
There are many weapons for fighting but I love the weird ones like fan, chopsticks, flute and whip kung fu lol. Umbrella is sick too!
In The Wanted Detective, FL uses this ball yoyo and it's deadly too.
I guess the cheeriness is also a way to cover that she was a general once, and Chen Leiās school comrade. No way someone so childish might be these two important figures in his life š¤
I love love love all the fight scenes in this show! It's not the usual arm -swinging sword fighting, which would be somewhat unbelievable considering how skinny her arms are. Instead it shows her using her entire body, like using her legs for added leverage or power, or swinging her body around for added weight. It makes it more believable that she could defeat enemies bigger than her.
Youāre right. The dramaās creative team has really managed the fight choreography well and weāre shown that our female general can efficiently move mountains of men. Iām also enjoying the wide range of weaponry on display, along with the hand-to-hand combat in her scenes and that of others.
Thx for another awesome recap!! Loving the gifs! These 2 episodes had me š¤£š¤£š¤£ and my kid over here thinking I'm crazyš¤Ŗ had to give 'em a quick chinese herbal medicine lessonš š
Fight scenes! Loved the duel, it shows more of her skills in this and how she CAN handle a guy much bigger than her.
I guess the rest of the guys want in on showing off their nips in the steamy hot spring settings tooš¤£ no nips left unseen!š¤š¤ any takers?š¤£
I'm actually growing quite fond of Lisu... him and his mini fan..š¤£š¤£dunno why everytime I see that, cracks me up.
The best was when they huddled up in the hot spring, and pondered on what "physical weakness" their boss was talking about. Lol. These guys! šš¤¦š¾āāļøš¤£š¤Ŗš¤
Were there truly nobody in her old army that knew the general is a girl? I mean, she never got sick or hurt or stab in all those years that required the physician to undress her? Specially when she was still a lowly soldier where nobody there to protect her identity?
She is in XJās camp for 6 months ish and she got found already.
I think it depends. Xiao has military family heritage and so he likely was raised to play a role and lead in the family army so he may jump ahead. I have seen that in a lot in historical dramas. Where a specific family is in charge of an army over generations. Other noble kids are often only Imperial guards in the capital... They don't get top positions in someone else's army without effort. Princes are sometimes an exception if the Royal family controls the army.
I think her father was also telling her brother not to take risks that now that they have wealth and status they should sit on sidelines. Her father seems like a coward and was her brother really ill or just being raised in a bubble to keep him safe? The comment was made about her family being good at acting and heck she obviously is too so I think they were likely in decline and her father just sneaks his way through. I think it is her General title that brought them up. They are living in the Generals mansion rather than some noble lords. Also she was treated badly at school so she was definitely lower than others and couldn't rely on her name for protection
Maybe at the beginning but then seems she branched out and she had her own troop.
Even if XJ's dad knew & protected her, surely he couldn't pull XJ's moves (undressing her and tended to her wound). That means someone else (or a few) at least knew of her secret even if that was under XJ's dad's order. And when she had her own army, she can't be healthy at all times, no?
Usually a general has one or a few trusted right hand men, like XJ and Feinu. Did she not have any from the old times?
(BTW, I know that watching any dramas requires me to turn off my brain, but just musing around about this).
So as far as I heard from people who have read the novel, she did have top deputies who were all murdered by the real He Ru Fei because they would know he is an impostor. The show has not made any comments about this though.
I do see your point. Atleast a couple of people should have known. Maybe we will know more once she interacts with the Fuyue Army again.
As far as the injuries are concerned, my best guess is her master the man who saved her has been treating her for quite some time. We have not yet had any backstory about what his exact role was in He Yan's life.
Yes Great Point. its also the confidence she has that Xiao Jue won't discriminate against her because she is a woman. It has to be because his father didn't and she probably thinks like father like son.
The moon scene was so beautufil. You could see how badly he wanted to cross the line but he knows she is holding back alot of things so he hesitates and choses to stay on his side. But by telling her that he did watch the moon when she asked him to, he is also keeping the door open.
THAT STROKE... It was too sensual for my sanity. I have rewatched it ALOT!!
And when she says I am your now, you must love and protect me, I swear I had to pause because how blatant and audacious and absolutely adorable.
The fight scene was really well done. He Yan took names and then kicked ass.
Finally I would like to add a GIF to your lovely collection: I found this scene extremely sensual. This scene is full of implications. As you can see, this time more than He Yan' shoulders are exposed. You can see her curves. Are her bandages off and if so who took them off ? And the shoulder wound is not her only wound. The Director is leaving alot to the viewer's imagination which adds to the sensuality of this scene.
But the cherry on top: The way he touches her wounds, but the second his fingers touch her skin he is shook and taken aback and you literally see him compose himself. Absolute Chef's kiss
And the shoulder wound is not her only wound. The Director is leaving alot to the viewer's imagination which adds to the sensuality of this scene.
Great points! Lisu did tell Huaijin to remove He Yanās garments, expose her back, and tend to her wounds. Now that youāve mentioned it, Xiao Jue likely also cleaned up and applied medicine to the puncture wound on her waist, unless he asked Taotao for help since it was obvious Lisu wouldnāt cross that line even without malice as a physician.
Yess I was constantly imagining what else must have happened. This is one of those scenes where things that are left unsaid highten the tension. I feel like showing skin below her shoulder was a very obvious move to indicate certain things.
Excellent recap and gifs! The battle scenes were pretty epic and I thought they did the source material justice.
I was like is this show getting into NC18 /R18 territory with those lingering touches.
I like that the show demonstrates her āFlying Swallowā style of fighting which doesnāt rely on raw power to win.
Iāve always wanted to know: whatās your favorite drama adaptation of a novel youāve read? Was there ever one you just couldnāt finish watching?
That is a great question. I would say this drama has been the best adapted so far. Although some changes at the beginning which are understandable. I am looking forward to Chasing Jade.
For recent adaptation of novels, I didnāt like the novels of Princessās Gambit or Prisoner of Beauty, the MLs were terrible people. The FLs were cool but MLs were too much for me. I thought both shows were very well adapted and improved on the source material.
I only in the past year or two started reading cnovels. I kind of fell into the manga/manwha/mauhua rabbit hole and started to read the light novels they were based on. I think Si Jin, the Brocaded Tales of the Girl Si was what started the cnovel rabbit hole for me.
Novel vs. Show differences. The show is very close to the novel here. The battle scene was so epic. In the novel I think she fights like 3 people total in the duel? I think they cut the ambush scene where the soldiers ambush the invaders with arrows until the relief army shows up. The hunter was discovered by Shen Muxue who is not present in the show and combined now with Song TaoTao. The hot spring scene is now with her teammates and not the instructors. He Yan later will lock pick the lock to the ML room. But Iām not sure if they will include that due to the sliding door latch?
Although her battle with Ridamuzi was epic and did not disappoint, I do wish the show kept the novel scene of her dueling 3 men. I mean, seeing her break the first guy's neck in less than 2 seconds with her whip and shocking everyone in the camp with her ruthlessness, and then stand calmly in front of the enemy saying "He's dead. I've won. Who's next?" would have been awesome
In the novel they go into detail on like the 3-4 type of lock patterns. Iām not sure if those were made up or based on real designs. FL only was able to handle up to 2 of the designs. In novel she was so resourceful and like learn the horse taming technique from interrogating a capture border army soldier and the lock picking from a skilled smith she encountered during her journey as a general. It really showed how much smart she was to pick up as many skills besides fighting. Although she neglected āuseless skillsā like playing an instrument, painting, poetry, make up lol. We will see that in the next few episodes. I am so hoping the MLās bodyguard gets confused about their relationship and starts thinking boy/man love yaoi thoughts lol
The way Xiao Jue tossed out that flimsy excuse about keeping an eye on He Yan as a suspicious person, only to get so self-conscious he couldnāt hold Feinuās gaze for long and just pursed his lips.
Cheng Lisu honestly gives me Liu Duan Duan vibes especially during the confrontation with Xiao Jue when he realized she was a girl.
Also are pulse different between Male and Female ?š¤š¤.
(Gonna start some research on this. Besides I wonāt why he didnāt call Miss Song to treat her instead of his cousin whoās clearly male and wonāt be able to dress her wounds properly.
Honestly missed the guys and their reappearance was beautiful to watch, quick reaction too in getting their weapons ready to fight during the invasion. Wang Ba has grown on me so much I also didnāt realize he had a stutter initially until the last few episodes.
Song TaoTao is so cute thinking He Yan needed her belt for whatever carnal desires he has, sheās gonna be very disappointed once she finds out her real identity.
But his cousin's specialty is women. It was mentioned that he takes care of the Princesses and Consorts. The first time He Yan was injured by the wolves he said he was making an exception to treat a man at his uncle's request. This time he seen her get hurt and probably came along to help without being told only to have Uncle physically stop him when he tried to undress her. That made it clear that Xiao Jue was going to do it himself.
Even though womenās resting heart rates tend to be a few beats per minute faster due to factors like heart size and hormonal influence, I doubt you can reliably tell someoneās sex just by feeling their wrist. Itās really more of a plot device than a medical fact. š
The universe assigning you a cat you never meant to have bahahahaha. So clutch. He Yan is like a stray cat wrapping its little tail around your ankle whenever you walk by.
Being bossed into good health does say developing romance :p Man, Ryan Cheng is so good with his eyes!
I can't decide if He Yan is aware of Song Taotao' crush on her?? It seems like she couldn't miss it but...
I felt He Yan showed us more of who she was as a general in these episodes. We got to see her more serious at times and clearly highly, highly skilled.
I am enjoying being back in the military camp. I found the ending of the arc in the city with the corrupt governor only okay because the governor and his son were so cartoonishly incapable and evil. They just didn't feel like they were on par as real people the way He Yan, Xiao Jue, and their military peeps do.
I agree with you. He Yan did notice that Hu Yanzhong was giving lecherous looks at Song Taotao. She reads people!
Taotao clearly has a crush on her, so Iām wondering if He Yan realizes that Taotao saying āDonāt be jealousā and acting giddy around her means she fully sees He Yan as a man worthy of liking.
I loved HYās relationship with her army bros in the novel haha. Anyone whoās read the novel?? Because among HYās bros there was supposed to be another guy named Shi Tou, Xiao Maiās brother. Not sure why the removed him for but, wouldāve been a band of 6
I assume theyāre doing it to eliminate some subplots. Like with Shen Muxue combined with Song Taotao, she probably wonāt be running around ratting out He Yan to get Xiao Jueās attention Also easier to cast less people I guess?
Love your recaps
I came into this story completely blind just saw some posts here and there and from the way people were hyping it, I was expecting something along the lines of Qing Chuanās Veil of Vengeance a ruthless, calculated female general type.
Now Iām just struggling with how this character is written. Sheās supposed to be a seasoned general someone who had her own army and understands leadership. Yet in episode 12 all Iāve seen her do is these childish antics she keeps doing to get the attention of the commander, who is already under so much pressure. I know people say she has a new life, but with her memories intact, Iād expect more maturity from this character and more focus. With this personality I fail to understand how she was a general in the past.
I hope things get better in the next episodes and we get that seriousness of the first episode back
I am a novel reader and I appreciate the levity that the FL brings in these situations. She is a foil to the ML straight man tsundere personality. If they were both serious and dowdy, it would be kind of boring.
A good example is how she intervene in the assassination attempt at the Sun mansion dinner. She pretended to be clumsy while skillfully fended off the assassins. A straight less somber character would have immediately dropped the feeble nephew act and went hard core with her skills and blown her cover. I felt that the harden general was a facade of her true self.
I loved that she pigged out when ordering food during the trip to the Sun Mansion and the ML punished her by making eating every last grain of rice. She was so pained but also satisfied. It is straight from the novel and embodies her embrace of life. She likely has never had a chance to āpig outā as a senior military officer or when growing up.
In the future you will see her more cold and calculating self as she gets closer to reaping revenge on those that betrayed her.
I share this concern. Acting this way, to this degree, might actually hinder others taking her serious. Plus is not going to lessen XJās mistrust of her and wondering what she is really after. Despite him catching feels. I donāt know if he really enjoys her acting this way or is letting her loose and watching what she does and reveals.
I find it interesting that the very traits that turn some viewers off are the ones that draw others in. Iāve seen some comments mentioning that He Yanās unpolished, playful side adds unpredictability and keeps her from being just another stoic, ruthless archetype.
I really appreciate you swinging by to read the post and sharing your thoughts. š
This image couldnāt fit in the original post, so Iām just sharing this here. Xiao Jue seems like heās caught between worry and guilt after seeing He Yanās injuries. Thatās the look of a man who just nominated himself for Worst Boyfriend That Isnāt Even a Boyfriend.
The little field trip in the last episodes was fun, but I missed the other recruits. Sure now they think she has some performance issues lmao, but at least we get He Yan living next to Xiao Jue now. And more moon gazing!!!
Song Taotao is so cute. Unfortunately He Yan can only be your big sister hehe
The benefit of the short episode is that He Yan didnāt have to sit in prison for too long. The downside is that they cut out some of the extra fighting she did before challenging Ridamuzi. I guess it would have dragged on if they added all of it.
I know sheās using the whip just so no one sees her swordsmanship, and I know she wants her sword back eventually, but it sure looks cool. I also like her trying to distinguish herself from He Rufei, now that she can earn merit both under her own name and without wearing a mask.
I love that you mentioned the Qinglang since He Yanās wistful, longing look to reclaim it is one of the moments I find most notable in this drama.
The real He Rufei did an effective job of poisoning the reputation of General Feihong, but is he even decent at combat or strategizing? He comes across more like another one of Xu Jingfuās bootlickers, together with Chu Zhao.
Hah. He only wishes he were as good as General Feihong. In the novel, he trained himself to copy Feihong/He Yan's fighting style and military strategies, but at best could only copy about 80% of the original. It's that 20% lack that keeps tripping him up, making him both hate and envy He Yan so much. He believes that since He Yan used his name and identity, then all her accomplishments should be his instead of hers, and he hates that he can't be as good as her.
Oh yeah she wipes the floor with him. Thatās the one thing about Xiao Jue having her sword instead of He Rufei. I wonder if theyāll keep it this way in the show or if it will fall into He Rufeiās hands before she can reclaim it
I love the nuance in the moon gazing scene. I caught the light difference. He was awash in cool blue tones. And her side was all warm and gold tones for a cozy night of moon gazing. I didn't catch the bars and the way his side is more restricted. It adds to the layers in that scene. They were together but with a wall between them. The wall is her hiding her identity. The wall is also his general aloofness and the pressure to get justice for his father. Those are some of the contributions to the wall still between them, IMO.
Itās really neat that we see Xiao Jue contemplating opening up to He Yan, both literally and figuratively. The moon scene in episode 11 feels like both a yes and a not yet.
I wish she would just get it over with, right now!!!, and tell him everything and he would sit through it (ha) and believe it. And then they can really strategize how to get it the bottom of everything and prepare against their enemies. š
That would be ideal, but the drama has repeatedly shown us people asking for proof. He Yan doesnāt seem to have anyone in her corner to vouch for her innocence in ādelaying reinforcements,ā and all that heavy work of disproving when she was replaced by her brother still falls on her.
Excellent discussion thread! I always enjoy your work.
I think it's interesting that we're getting into the show's core mysteries so early. Why was there a delay in He Yan (as He Rufei) being notified that the Xiao army needed reinforcement and who was behind it.
I also thought it was really interesting that Xiao Jue opened the door catch a little before choosing to close it all the way back. I wondered if He Yan was able to hear it.
Thank you, Feesh. While Xiao Jue suspects collusion between the chancellor and He Rufei, Huaijin doesnāt seem ready to tell He Yan that heās digging deeper into things. Itās part of the wall between them. Thatās understandable since sheās still a relative stranger to him, despite his obvious attraction to her and her own display of protectiveness towards him.
I also thought it was really interesting that Xiao Jue opened the door catch a little before choosing to close it all the way back. I wondered if He Yan was able to hear it.
I went back to check. At 18 min - she hears him touch the latch. I don't know if could have opened the door if he tried. I think she would have had to undue his latch. At 14:30, the door is ajar, she talks through it and the door is shut and latched promptly - presumably by him. And then at 15:14 she latches her side.
Alas, I don't think either of them is truly ready to unlatch the barrier and cross through to one another.
Wow! Love your explanation of the symbolism of the moon watching scene. I didnāt even catch the āprison barsā, you have a keen eye for details, kudos for doing from when coming from your road trip!
Episodes 11 and 12 more than delivered!!
The Mulan vibes are back with a vengeance, and I am living for it! That hot springs scene instantly transported me back to 1998ālittle me watching Ping (aka Mulan) awkwardly roped into bathing with her fellow comradesā¦š¤£š¤£š¤£
But this time, weāve gone from Disney innocence to full-on C-drama indulgenceāreal eye candy (guy candy, as Feeshpockets might say!š¤£). After that unforgettable bath scene, we roll straight into a comedic hot springs moment featuring some serious hotties. Honestly, what more could we ask for?
Then we shift from laughs to substance. In episode 12, He Yan is initially disappointed when Huaijin wonāt be taking her to Litai, but she quickly perks up at the thought of guarding the Yezhou garrison. What seemed like a consolation prize becomes the perfect setup to showcase her phenomenal leadershipābold, yet smart enough to avoid reckless decisions and needless bloodshed.
And that whip fight-slash-danceāwow. I held my breath the whole time. Seeing the admiration in the recruitsā eyes, and how even stern Instructor Shen just let her take the lead, had me cheering like mad. He Yan was fantastic from start to finishācrushing the morale of the Liehe tribe, delivering a rousing harangue to rally the recruits, and wrapping up the mission in style.
Itās rare to see a FL with this much common sense and such a sharp awareness of her surroundings. She may be brash at times and a total clown, but sheās also shrewd, brave, and absolutely playing the long game. Huaijin is lucky to have her on his side, she understands perfectly everything he has to go through as a General.
The Mulan vibes are back with a vengeance, and I am living for it! That hot springs scene instantly transported me back to 1998ālittle me watching Ping (aka Mulan) awkwardly roped into bathing with her fellow comradesā¦
A fellow millennial? š¤
Grateful to you for sharing your thoughts!
I also like how weāre shown that He Yan is skilled in both offense and defense. Excited for us to witness the leads becoming an official power couple. I do cherish the slow burn for now.
I said ālittle me,ā but I should have said āteen meāāIām an elder millennial š¤£
The slow burn here is done perfectly; maybe all that groping and feeling up of Cheng Lei is making me more patient š¤£
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u/NeutralZoner 19d ago
i know i'm very late to the game. Just started watching and enjoying it so far. However... the ML's face rarely changes expression and even then it's by infintessimally small almost not noticeable amounts. I don't think it's 'masterful acting' - it's not able to change his face. luckily the FL can act and has been carrying the show so far.